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ACOAM's SABER Alert Program (Safe Animal By Emergency Response) The SABER Alert Program is an alliance between the Animal Control Officers’ Association of Massachusetts and other Massachusetts animal care professionals, including veterinarians and rescue organizations like the Animal Rescue League of Boston and the MSPCA, in an effort to assist the public by activating an immediate and urgent notification that a dog, someone’s pet, has either been lost, found or possibly stolen. The goal of a SABER Alert is to quickly stimulate our entire state organization of animal control officers and all of its affiliates to assist in the search for, the safe recovery of, and the reunion of the dog with its owner.

The SABER Alert, which was designed on the principles of the Amber Alert, issues not only in response to “missing” but also “found” dogs. SABER Alert was launched in late 2007 and has been a great success in reuniting families with their beloved pets. Saber was the name of the first dog, a German shepherd, who was reunited with his family by means of this system, and it now stands for Safe Animal By Emergency Response.

Program Activation Guidelines

Deni Goldman, ACOAM’s Director of Public Relations & Communications in 2007 and creator of the SABER Alert, designed these activation guidelines in order to achieve a consistent network across the Commonwealth and to minimize delays in reuniting dogs with their owners.

- A dog must be missing or found for at least 48 hours before a SABER Alert will be issued. However, a SABER Alert will issue immediately if there is sufficient evidence indicating foul play (i.e. theft of the dog).

- To ensure the effectiveness of a Saber Alert, the reporting party must provide sufficient descriptive information including, but not limited to; the dog’s breed, color, markings, description of collars, microchip and tag information, age, approximate weight, temperament, the dog’s name, and the location and time last seen. A photo of the dog is very valuable if available. ACOs reporting found dogs in custody should submit photos of the found dog.

- Only ACOAM’s Director of Public Relations & Communications can issue a SABER Alert.

- ACOAM’s Director of Public Relations & Communications first confirms with the reporting party that a dog is in fact missing, found or stolen.