One of the first impulses of an owner who has lost a pet is to canvas the neighbourhood with quickly-made posters. And even if we haven't seen the wanderer in question, many of us stop to read these notices, which are often charming combinations of heartfelt pleas, humour, and handmade art. Ian Phillips has collected lost pet posters from around the world. Here, he selects from his collection those posters notable for their cleverness, humour, sorrow, entreaties, rewards and - in several instances - sheer outlandishness. As a collection, the posters represent an authentic folk art that expresses a commonality between the readers and the makers from the United States to China. The volume should be of interest to pet-owners everywhere, as well as to designers and artists who want to tap into the human and creative side of our everyday lives under stress.