Lost or Found a Pet?

Losing a pet you love can be very stressful. This is designed as a guideline for finding that lost pet or helping the lost animal you've found return home.

 If you've lost a pet:

• Tour your neighborhood and check the places familiar to your pet - perhaps you take him/her to a friends home on a regular basis. (S)he may have gone there or, perhaps, (s)he was diverted while strolling along a familiar route.
• Don't be shy - talk to your neighbours and let them know. Dogs, in specific, tend to visit other homes with dogs. Other pet owners are usually very happy to help in your search.
• Contact your city pound and file a report (In Cambridge, Ontario, 519-623-6323). Bring in a picture of your lost pet.
• Put posters up in your neighborhood (bylaws permitting). Many stores have places where you can put small posters.
• Contact the veterinarian who issued the rabies tag - (s)he may have received a call from someone trying to track you down. Another veterinarian could have seen the pet brought in by a concerned citizen.
• Click here to post your lost pet on the "Lost & Found" page on the Internet for Cambridge, Ontario. Search your favourite search engine for websites where you can post your lost pet.
• Contact Humane Societies in neighboring communities - For Cambridge, Ontario, those would be: Guelph - (519) 824-3091 and Kitchener - (519) 745-5615.
• If you've just moved from another neighbourhood, maintain contact with friends and neighbors who would know your pet. It is not uncommon to see an animal travel great distances to return "home". In a new home, search it very thoroughly. Pets, specially cats, have an interesting way of finding cracks, crevices and unique hiding places in the home you think you know.
• Don't give up. Some pets do return home on their own after quite some time. Keep your eyes and ears open to scratching on your front or back door. If you live in a busy neighbourhood and your pet is roaming the streets, it is most likely that (s)he is hiding during the day and roaming during the night. Consequently, your lost pet may be trying to get into your home during the night or early morning hours.

Remember, pictures speak louder than words. Always include pictures when possible!

 If you have found a pet and want to help it find its way to its home. What can you do?

There are as many resources to the person who finds a lost pet as the person who looses his/her family friend. As a temporary host to your little guest, you can submit information to the "Lost & Found" page of your Humane Society web site. You, too, can place posters of your "found" guest.. Contact the local pound to find out if someone is looking for the animal you've found. Some newspapers give free listings for lost and/or found pets.

Once again, a picture will never hurt!

Finally, if you are unable to provide adequate interim care you can surrender the found pet to your city pound.

Chances of successfully reunited a lost pet with its family are substantially improved when that pet is fitted with microchip device, injected under the skin of the animal, available at most veterinary clinics, humane societies, animal shelters and animal related associations.