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Lost or Found

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Losing your pet can be a scary and heartbreaking experience, but staying level-headed and avoiding unnecessary stress will help you save precious time and, ideally, lead to a swift reunion with your cherished companion.

Tips to Find Your Pet

For pets with microchips, reach out to the microchip company to report them as lost and ensure your contact information is up-to-date.

Walk the neighborhood, speak with neighbors, postal carriers, UPS/Amazon drivers, landscapers, and tell them about your missing pet.

Contact all the local shelters and alert Animal Control in the town or city your pet is missing.  In our area, Animal Control Officers work through the police department.

Inform your neighbors through specialty websites and social media. Be sure to provide details such as a description of your pet, their last known location, and include a photo.

Hang lost pet posters with detailed description: name, breed, color, gender, markings or tattoos, weight, collar or tags, and a phone number Hang your flyer within a 3-mile radius of where your dog was lost or 1-mile radius of where your cat was lost.  When creating a poster, use a half-page, brightly-colored poster board and include a clear photo of your pet. Use huge lettering with concise information, such as, “LOST SMALL, WHITE, MALE DOG, Call 845-xxx-xxxx.” Hang the poster with duct tape at major intersections.

 

 

KEEP SEARCHING!!

Many pets can disappear for months and still turn up.

Once you have found your pet, please remember to notify everyone of that fact, and please remove all flyers previously posted.

Found a Pet

If you come across a stray cat or dog, there’s a high probability that their owner is actively looking for them. Follow these tips to maximize the chances of reuniting the animal with its owner.

Safely confine the dog or cat. Exercise caution when approaching unfamiliar animals. If the stray cat or dog seems friendly, secure them promptly to protect them from potential hazards. Approach stray animals slowly and gently, using a calm voice. For dogs, use a leash or confine them in a fenced yard; for cats, place them in a secure carrier or a well-ventilated box in a small indoor space.

Once you have the animal …

Check for tags.  Check to see if the animal is wearing an ID tag or Dog License. If they are, contact the owner immediately to let them know you have their pet. If you are unable to immediately reach the owner, contact your local Animal Control Officers. You most likely can reach them through the police department.

Microchip Check. If the animal does not have a collar or ID tags, you’ll want to have them scanned to see if they have a microchip. There are a few places that will most likely have a chip scanner:

  • A veterinary clinic
  • An animal shelter
  • A local animal control department

Contact Your Neighbors. Walk the area and talk to people, knock on doors; someone may know the pet you have found and know which neighbor is the owner. Most lost pets do not travel very far from home.

Post the animal specialty websites and social media. Be sure to provide details such as a description of your pet, their last known location, and include a photo.