A few years ago, I was pet-sitting two much-beloved beagles for a friend of mine. For two weeks I carefully watched over their every move, making sure they were safe and happy.

The day she was scheduled to pick them up, I let them out into my fenced yard for just a few moments. When I went outside to retrieve them I discovered that someone had opened my side gate and my friend's precious pups were nowhere to be seen.

I think anyone who has lost a family pet or, even worse, lost someone else's furry friend, can relate to the panic of not knowing where your animal is or if he or she has fallen victim to traffic or other dangers. Thankfully I was able to quickly track down my wayward beagles, but I still recall the sinking feeling when I discovered they had escaped.

Each year the BC SPCA reunites more than 13,000 lost animals with their anxious guardians. Thousands more - mainly cats - have no ID to link them back to their families and end up as homeless animals awaiting new families. This month the BC SPCA has launched an innovative new website that will significantly increase the chances of pet guardians locating their lost pets.

On the BC SPCA's new Pet Search site, every lost animal brought to any BC SPCA shelter in the province is automatically posted for viewing online, saving valuable time for guardians looking for their lost pet.

With Good Samaritans also posting found animals on the site, the chances of reuniting people with their lost pet increases.

People who have lost a pet can post their information into the site's database and a "Lost Animal" poster is generated with a photo of the missing pet, the pet's name and description, the date and location the animal went missing and the guardian's contact information.

To view lost pets or to post information about a found animal, visit bcpetsearch.com.