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Lost/Found Pets
What to Do if You Lost Your Pet
1. Start Your Search
For the best chance of recovery it’s important to start your search as soon as you notice your pet has gone missing.
Studies vary, but most cats are found within a one mile radius of their home. About 60% of cats return home on their own, and about 30% are found by neighbors. Most dogs are found within a two mile radius of their home. About 45% of dogs are found by searching the neighborhood, and about 20% returned home on their own, 34% were found at an animal shelter.
2. Notify Your Neighbors
Talk to your neighbors to let them know you are looking for your pet. Ask them to search their property; look in garages, sheds, and if searching for a cat, any nook and crannies as cats will hide. Provide your contact information so they can contact you with any sightings.
Check the NextDoor App for any found reports or sightings and create a post to alert your neighbors that your pet is missing.
3. Check the Shelter
You can view lost pets on our website.
You can also visit the shelter during open hours:
Monday -Thursday 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Friday 11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Saturday 10 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.
Animals who arrive as strays are held for three business days to allow the owner a chance to find their pet. After three days they are available to move into our adoptions program or be placed with a rescue organization. We do not euthanize for time or space.
4. Verify Microchip Contact
If your pet is microchipped call the microchip provider to ensure your contact information is up to date.
5. Check Local Lost/Found Facebook Groups and Lost/Found Databases
Check to see if anyone has found your pet and post that you lost your pet to alert others. There are various lost/found pet groups and listings. It’s important to check and post in as many as possible that cover your geographic area.
Local Facebook Groups
Lost and Found Pets of Milton and Pace, FL
Lost and Found Pets of Navarre, FL and Surrounding Areas
Lost & Found Pets Gulf Breeze,Tiger Point, Pensacola Beach and Midway Area
Lost/ Found and Rehoming Pets of Jay, Berrydale, and Allentown, Fl
Lost/Found Databases
PawBoost is the largest lost and found pet database. Pet Parents can post lost pets and finders can post pets they’ve found in the searchable database. You can also create a lost pet poster with the easy poster generator.
Lost and found database that uses pet facial recognition technology.
All-volunteer group dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their families. Services are provided free to pet owners, shelters, rescues, and animal control professionals.
All-volunteer group dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their families. Services are provided free to pet owners, shelters, rescues, and animal control professionals.
Lost Pet Research and Recovery offers services, information and resources to help people find missing pets.
6. Post Lost Pet Posters
Give fliers to your neighbors, hang them in prominent places, leave at your local shelter, pet stores, veterinary offices, etc.
You can create free lost/found posters from these websites:
7. Don’t Give Up
Many pets are found days, weeks, and even years later. We recommend checking the shelter every other day.
What to Do if You Found A Pet
Thank you for helping a lost animal get back home. The chances of an animal returning to its home are far greater when the following tips are followed prior to bringing them to the shelter. If possible, wait a few hours after following these tips to give the owner a chance to contact you about their missing pet before bringing to the shelter.
Studies vary, but most cats are found within a one mile radius of their home. About 60% of cats return home on their own, about 30% are found by neighbors, and about 2% are found at an animal shelter. Most dogs are found within a two mile radius of their home. About 45% of dogs are found by searching the neighborhood, about 20% returned home on their own, and about 34% were found at an animal shelter.
1. Notify Your Neighbors
Talk to your neighbors to let them know you found a pet. Most lost pets are found within one to two miles of their home, chances of their home being close to where you found them is good. If you found a dog, walk it on a leash through the neighborhood, you might find the owner searching for their dog.
Check the NextDoor App to see if there are any posts about the pet you found and create a post to alert your neighbors that you found the pet.
2. Check Local Lost/Found Facebook Groups and Lost/Found Databases
Check to see if anyone has posted about the pet you found and post that you found the pet to alert others. There are various lost/found pet groups and listings. It’s important to check and post in as many as possible that cover your geographic area.
Local Facebook Groups
Lost and Found Pets of Milton and Pace, FL
Lost and Found Pets of Navarre, FL and Surrounding Areas
Lost & Found Pets Gulf Breeze,Tiger Point, Pensacola Beach and Midway Area
Lost/ Found and Rehoming Pets of Jay, Berrydale, and Allentown, Fl
Lost/Found Databases
PawBoost is the largest lost and found pet database. Pet Parents can post lost pets and finders can post pets they’ve found in the searchable database. You can also create a lost pet poster with the easy poster generator.
Lost and found database that uses pet facial recognition technology.
All-volunteer group dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their families. Services are provided free to pet owners, shelters, rescues, and animal control professionals.
All-volunteer group dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their families. Services are provided free to pet owners, shelters, rescues, and animal control professionals.
Lost Pet Research and Recovery offers services, information and resources to help people find missing pets.
3. Check Animal For a Microchip
Any veterinary clinic or animal shelter can scan the animal for a microchip and contact the owner if there is a microchip.
4. Bring to the Shelter
If you are unable to locate the owner after following these tips, you can bring animal to the shelter during open hours; Mon. - Thurs. 11:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., Fri. 11:30 a.m. - 6:30 p.m., and Sat. 10 a.m. - 3:30 a.m.. Please schedule an appointment to visit.
5. Post Found Pet Posters
If you can, hanging found pet fliers near where you found the pet will increase the chances of the pet being found by their owner.
You can create free lost/found posters from these websites: