Lost and Found Animals

Immediately:

1. Most pets do not wander far from home. Stay close! Don’t spread your scent too far.

2. If possible, have someone stay at your house in case your pet returns while you are searching.

3. Contact the microchip company to make sure all your information is updated.

4. If you have a second dog, or your dog has a best friend, you should ideally take them with you when you search for your lost dog.

5. Leave out dirty clothes that will have a strong scent of you/home. Do NOT leave the lost dog's beds or things; they are looking for you, not themselves.

6. Carry a familiar toy and some stinky delicious treats with you.

7. When searching, move slowly and use your voice. Your pet may be frightened and hiding so give them time to hear you and come out from their hiding place.

8. If you are searching in the daytime and don't find your pet, try again at night.

Further action:

1. If you don’t find your pet right away, use social media to spread the word:

   1. NextDoor is a valuable tool to notify your neighbors

   2. PawBoost is a VERY popular tool used for lost and found pets

   3. Facebook (most communities have lost and found FB pages)
      
      

2. Make flyers to post in your neighborhood. You can create a free flyer here.

3. Talk to your neighbors. Your cat or dog could be stuck in someone’s garage, etc.

4. Notify your local shelters and check their found pets list DAILY in case a good Samaritan brings your pet to the shelter. You can find a list of your local shelters here.

Be careful of scams:

1. Do not give money to people who call or text you and claim to have your animal until you see your animal with your own two eyes. They likely saw your flyer and are scamming you to get money. Ask for a picture of your pet.

2. If you are considering using a pet detective, do your research. Some of these services are legitimate, but many are scammers.

Spend your money wisely. There are paid services you can hire to help you, but find out what they do first. You can do many of these same things yourself, and you are the person your pet will come to.

You have the animal in your care:

1. If the animal has an id tag with a phone number, call the number immediately to let them know you have their pet. If they don’t answer, leave a message and try texting the number as well.

2. Chances are, the pet lives nearby. Use social media to get the word out to your community as soon as possible. Include a description and picture in the post.
   The pet’s guardian may have already posted on social media as well so look at Lost Pet postings.
   Include the follow social media sites in your search for the pet’s guardian:

• NextDoor is a valuable tool to notify your neighbors

• PawBoost is a VERY popular tool used for lost and found pets

• Facebook (most communities have lost and found FB pages)

1. Take the animal to a local shelter or veterinarian to have it scanned for a microchip. Please note: vets have scanners because they implant chips. They are not experts on researching chips.
   If the animal has a chip, refer to our Microchip Lookup Tips to ensure every pathway to chip identification is exhausted.

2. Report the found animal to your local shelter. You can find a list of your local shelters here. Your “open admissions shelter” is the one who is legally required to take in strays. Be sure to file a report with them.

Be mindful that the animal is likely frightened, and in a strange place with strange people. Take care to approach the animal carefully and keep them in a safe place until they can be reunited with their guardians or taken to the local shelter.

You spotted a stray animal that is still loose or trapped in a difficult location:

1. Call your local animal control or non-emergency police line.

2. If the animal is a loose dog and you are in a car, try opening the door to see if the dog will jump in.

3. If the animal doesn’t come to you, do not approach as this may cause the animal to run away. Instead, get down low, with your body facing sideways as this will make you look less threatening.

4. Toss treats towards the animal. If they are hungry enough and not extremely stressed, they may come forward for treats… but don’t over do it. You want them to remain hungry to motivate them to come to you.

5. If the animal approaches you, only catch it if it feels safe to do so. Proceed to the “You have an animal in your care” section.

For more avoidant animals, ask for help from neighbors who have more experience with catching strays. Remember, don't chase! Chasing may cause the animal to run further away. NextDoor can be a great resource to find people with expertise.

HAPI's Guide to Microchips: How to find them and how to research them (hint: vets don't necessarily know!)