Losing a pet is heartbreaking. If you have lost a pet or have found someone else’s, we offer insider tips on ways you can begin a thorough search. Our ultimate goal is that every dog and cat will find a loving home – and remain in it for life. We accept flyers to post in our intake area and at our main office. If you have lost your dog or cat and think it might be at the Animal Defense League, please bring photos of your pet along with any veterinary records as proof of ownership. If you’ve found an animal, check with your nearest vet about having a scan for a microchip done.
Lost and found services in our community include: Lost Dogs of Texas, SA Pets.com and Petfinder.com. If your pet was lost in San Antonio or most of Bexar County, it could be at San Antonio Animal Care Services. Check every day, since untagged dogs, cats, kittens and puppies stay at the City’s Animal Care Services. Other area shelters include: San Antonio Humane Society, Leon Valley Animal Control, Schertz Animal Control, Universal City Animal Shelter, Converse Animal Control, Live Oak Animal Shelter and Kirby Animal Control. If you’ve found a pet, San Antonio Express News will place a free ad for you and using Craigslist is not only free but often effective. There is also a free app available called Finding Rover.
Lost & Found Helpful Suggestions
- If your pet is lost, immediately conduct search your property. Check your garage, any outdoor sheds or buildings you may have on your property. If the animal is a cat, check your attic, cabinets, box springs or any other potential hiding place.
- Go door to door asking if any of your neighbors have seen your pet and alerting them to be on the lookout. It is helpful to have a photo of your pet with you to show them.
- Make flyers with the pet’s picture, description, date lost and how to reach you day or night. Consider offering a reward.
- Post your flyers around the area the animal was lost. Post one at any animal related business within 2 miles of the location, and don’t miss bus stops – someone may have noticed a dog while waiting there or on their way to the bus stop.
- Consider placing an announcement in local newspapers. Check the “Lost & Found” ads daily.
- Visit local animal control and animal shelters and take your flyers to them when you go.
- Is your pet microchipped? Contact the microchip company to make sure your information is current and that the chip is activated.
- Don’t give up and keep looking! It is not unusual for someone to keep a lost pet for a few weeks while they search for the owner and then turn the animal into a local shelter.
Guidelines for FOUND Pets
- Look for owner information or rabies tags. If the number on a tag is to a clinic or other facility, be sure to have BOTH the tag number and the year on the tag written down before calling.
- Go door to door asking if any of your neighbors recognize the pet and alerting them to be on the lookout for anyone searching the neighborhood. It’s helpful to have a photo of the animal if the animal isn’t cooperative enough to accompany you.
- Take the animal to your vet or a local shelter and ask them to scan him for a microchip. If you are unable to care for the animal, surrender him to the animal shelter closest to where you found him if space is available. Please be aware of the time limitations for euthanizing imposed by other shelters.
- Make FOUND flyers. Include a description and a photograph of the animal if possible, date found and location found. Post these around the area that the animal was found. Get these to all area shelters since that’s where a pet owner will be checking in regularly.
- Place ads in the local newspapers, very often there is no charge.