Found Pet

Thank you for helping a stray animal. It can be emotional to have a lost pet in your care. Remember that you do not know what happened to the animal before you found them. They may be skinny, frightened, or even hurt. It is important to assume they came from a loving home and the best course of action is to focus on reuniting the pet with their guardians, who are probably worried terribly about their loved one.

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)

3. 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.

4. 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. 

Contact HAPI for help.