What To Do When You
Find A Stray Animal

  

• First, search our Pet Lost & Found database to see if anyone's reported a lost pet.
• If nothing turns up, report the stray on the LostPetSOS website.
• Take the stray to your Veterinarian to determine if the animal has an embedded microchip that will help locate its owner.
• Create colorful flyers that stand out. Pets are often found within a mile or two of their home, so the likelihood of the animal's owner seeing your flyer is very good. You can utilize our downloadable Found Pet Flyer in pdf format, with fillable fields (you will need Adobe Reader 5.0 + to view this document). Just fill in the blanks and print on colorful paper--make sure the black text contrasts well with the paper color; you want people to see the words at a distance.
• Include a picture of the stray if you can, the animal's general description, and your telephone number displayed in a conspicuous place.
• DO NOT include your address or your full name, in order to avoid becoming an unwitting victim of fraudulent activity.
• It’s also important to WITHHOLD some of the animal's specific identifying characteristics. This will help you determine if a caller is the actual owner. Some unscrupulous personalities will pose as a stray's owner and then sell the animal to a research facility, or worse.
• Post the flyers in your neighborhood on telephone poles and other street structures, at stores (grocery stores, drug stores, video stores, gas stations and the like), veterinary clinics, groomers, local parks, etc.
• When posting flyers at Veterinary clinics and Groomers’ establishments, take a moment to tell the Vet or Groomer about the stray you found. It's possible that the animal's owner has visited or will visit the same establishments to ask about their lost pet.
• Place an ad in your local newspaper(s). Such ads are inexpensive, and sometimes even free.
• If you have more than one telephone number, be sure to change your outgoing answering service message for your listed number to inform callers where else you can be reached if they should be calling about the stray you found.
• If a caller claims to be the stray's owner, be cautious.
• Try to meet them with the animal in a public place, such as a store parking lot during daylight hours.
• Try to avoid giving callers your home address.
• If you must invite callers to your home, make sure another adult can be there with you.
• Always take someone with you to investigate a caller’s claims.
• Contact your local Animal Control office, perhaps even leaving a few flyers with them.
• Continue to check our Pet Lost & Found database. Perhaps someone has reported a lost pet since your last visit to LostPetSOS.org.