It's the perfect Christmas present for Britain's pet owners who worry about losing Fido or Tiddles - a service that helps to get them back again.

For less than £20, pet owners can now register as members of DetectUpet, a website that offers a search-and-rescue service for animals that go walkabout.

People can either log-on or use a freephone telephone service to register their pet's details and the owner's address and telephone numbers, plus contact details of friends and neighbours. They also supply a photograph of the pet.

The service is available at www.DetectUpet.com or call Freephone 0800 298 2001.

If a member's pet vanishes, DetectUpet - which calls itself the First Emergency Service for Lost Pets - goes into action. Operating 24 hours a day, it floods the local area with calls, alerting local people and asking them to be on the look-out.

It also notifies its network of RSPCA, PDSA, rescue homes, sanctuaries and dog wardens giving them a description of the pet and details of how to return it. Other DetectUpet members in the area are also notified to help in the search.

"There are about 14.5 million cats and dogs in the UK and about 5,000 go missing each week. It's a serious problem and one that causes distress to thousands of people every year", said Kath Brock, DetectUpet founder.

"People think that putting a microchip into their pet is the answer but many of the chipped animals that are found still can't be reunited with their owners because the information on the chip is out-of-date or the pet warden/pet sanctuary does not have the right equipment to read the chip".

DetectUpet's unique selling point is that it uses contact management technology to ensure that members' personal information is always up to date, making contact at least three times a year by telephone and providing easy methods for information to be updated.

Members can also actively update their information directly over the phone, via email or on the website.

"People move house and forget to change the information on their pet's collar", said Kath: "In fact some of the missing animal reports relate to people moving house and there are stories of cats, for example, walking hundreds of miles to find their way back to their former home again."

"Sadly, many pets that go missing - including those with microchips - are never seen by their owners again".

Detectupet has carried out research that shows:

• 75% of pet owners worry most about getting their pet back if lost.
• Microchips can move and become unreadable
• A staggering 90% of pets found have no identification that traces the owner.
• In the UK a pet goes missing every 2 minutes