Find a Lost Pet - Report a Found Pet: San Francisco Bay Area
If you have tips that may help other Bay Area residents find their lost pet, please post your comments at the bottom of this page, using the submission link.
The following are tips for finding your lost dog or cat in the San Francisco Bay Area -- including a list of local animal shelters, Craig's List and Pet Harbor "lost pet" resources.
If You Find a Stray Animal . . .
If you've found a stray animal (a pet who may be sorely missed by his or her family), there are a number of standard procedures you should follow. In many cities, the law requires that you report a found animal to the local animal shelter. That does not mean you need to surrender the animal. Most shelters provide a "found" database or a binder which allows you to list the pet while caring for it in your home.
This arrangement also stipulates that you make a concerted effort to look for the owners while the animal is in your care -- including posting ads and flyers in your neighborhood. If it's possible to safely transport the animal, have the animal scanned by a local veterinarian or shelter to see if it has an identifying microchip. A microchip scan can quickly reunite a lost pet with its owner.
If You've Lost Your Pet . . .
If you've lost your pet, one of your first (and most frequent stops) should be your local animal shelter. Visit the shelter right away to see if your pet may have been picked up. And submit a lost pet report for the shelter's records. Chances are that anyone who's submitting a "found pet" report will also peruse the "lost pet" records to look for a match.
As long as your pet is missing, continue to check the shelter every two or three days. Also be sure to find out how long the shelter keeps pets if found. Pets can be reported or picked up weeks or months after they were lost or wandered away. In some cases, people who find pets may wait weeks before reporting or advertising the found animal.
The most important aspect of finding a lost pet is not giving up. I've been in the position of searching desperately for my lost cat and was, in that particular case, deeply fortunate to have her back home again after a couple of weeks of emotional devastation.
If you've lost a pet, here are some general steps you can take:
- Visit your local shelter regularly to check for your pet. Check any shelters in the vicinity where your pet could have wandered. Always check in person to see if your pet is there. Posted descriptions aren't always accurate.
- In addition to shelters, check with local, nonprofit humane societies and rescues.
- Post a notice in the lost-and-found section of Craig's List -- and any local publication that carries lost-and-found ads.
- Many local shelters also post found pets at Pet Harbor. Check Pet Harbor for additional resources on finding your lost animal.
- Check with any pet-related business in the area, including local veterinarians.
- Check your property and all nearby properties, crawl spaces, pipes, and any areas where your pet may have crawled inside and found sanctuary. Pick a more quiet time of the day and walk the area frequently, calling your pet with whatever sounds or nicknames you normally use. Be sure to stop and listen for responses as you wander the neighborhood.
- Take a flashlight to look for cats that may be injured or frightened, hiding in dark spaces under buildings, porches, etc.
- Print up flyers and business cards or small handouts you can give or show to people -- with your pet's photo and description. Be sure to leave out a significant identifying mark so that when someone responds to your flyer or ad, you can quiz them on the validity of their claim.
- Post flyers around your neighborhood wherever legally permitted, posting your phone number but not your address (for safety reasons).
- Ask all neighbors and put out word that you are looking for your pet. Also ask them to check locked storage lockers or garages for a cat that may have been trapped inside. (It was through the diligence of my own neighbors that my lost cat was returned to me.)
- Ask people who frequent your neighborhood -- your postal worker, cat sitters or dog walkers -- to keep an eye out for your pet.
- Post "lost" notices on local bulletin boards, in pet stores and other local venues that accept such postings.
- Animals can find their way by scent, so consider putting the cat's litter box or a pet's toys outside your place where they may be drawn to the scent.
To help ensure your pet can and will be returned if he or she is ever lost, make sure your pet has proper identification -- collar, tag and microchip. And always have current photographs available in the event you two are separated.
Related articles:
- List of Bay Area Animal Shelters
- Finding a Lost Cat (About.com: Cats)
- Help! My Dog is Missing (About.com: Dogs)
- Recovering Lost Birds (About.com: Pet Birds)
- Proper ID is Key to Preventing Lost Pets (About.com: Veterinary Medicine)
- Pet Rescue: How to Find a Lost Cat
- Missing Pet Partnership: Search and Rescue for Lost Pets