Animal Allies
LOST & FOUND PET RESOURCES
Helping hands for paws that have lost their way
It's important to remember that every cat or dog that appears to be a "stray" is more than likely someone's missing pet - do not keep found animals for your pets. If your cat or dog were missing, you would want someone to help them find their way back to you, so if you find a cat or dog, please me mindful of the owner that is missing them terribly and use our resources to help reunite them with a happy ending.
Although it may be second nature to conclude that a thin, skittish dog has been abandoned or abused or a cat has been neglected and left outdoors, the truth can be more complicated - including that this pet has been missing for a long time and unable to find its way back home on its own.
The following tools are available for your use. We hope you find them helpful! Clicking on the links below will help you navigate to the best resources to help find your pet or report a found/"stray" animal.
Thank you for stepping up to help pets in need!
If you are looking for a lost pet, Petco has some tips to help.
What to do immediately after your pet goes missing:
-
Walk the neighborhood: Take a walk around the immediate area and speak to any neighbors, postal service workers, landscapers, or anyone who may have seen your lost pet. You know your pet best, so look in areas that your pet may have been interested in or comfortable hiding in. Most pets are found close to home.
-
Share their scent: Put a couple of your pet's favorite items near the most common entry ways into your home. The front door and the door into your yard would be the best locations. You can include items like their favorite bed, blanket, toys, their litterbox (if cat) and any other items they use frequently. Their scents may help them find their way home.
Next Steps:
-
Search for your lost dog or cat on Petco Love Lost: We have partnered with Petco Love Lost to easily help search the national lost and found database and create a searchable/shareable alert for your missing pet. Upload a picture of your pet or searching by location. Petco Love Lost helps match found animals to reported lost pets nationwide. Visit Petco Love Lost and search now!
If you haven't done so already, be sure to register your pet on Petco Love Lost to do things like create a Lost listing that can be shared and print out premade fliers. You can also receive fliers via text message or email.
-
Use the sharing features on Petco Love Lost to distribute your lost pet listing on other social media outlets like Facebook, Craigslist, and Nextdoor.
-
Make sure your pet’s microchip information is updated: If a finder takes your missing pet to be scanned for a microchip, you want to make sure that all the information is correct so that you will be contacted immediately.
-
Check with your local animal services, animal control, and animal shelters: Call to see if your missing pet is at one of these locations. An in-person trip is preferable so you can look and see if your pet is in their care.
-
Continue to spread the word about your missing pet: Make sure any posters or fliers made are large and bright with only relevant information on it. Place in high traffic areas and in the vicinity of where your lost pet went missing.
Don’t give up! Finding a lost pet can take time. Remember to regularly check websites that you have posted your lost pet on and make updates as needed. New lost and found pets are added regularly to Petco Love Lost and to your local shelters.