Lost & Found Pets

Next Steps for Helping the Pet You Found:

Reporting an animal to a county shelter does not mean that you can no longer help the pet that you found. In fact, there are many ways you can continue to serve as an advocate for this pet.

• Scan the pet for a microchip:
  • We can scan for a microchip here at Paws4ever and you can also do this at your county animal shelter, and most vets. Many counties also have microchip scanning stations. For more details on microchip scanning stations in Alamance County click here for more information on microchip stations in Orange County click here.
• Search the area for the owner:
  • Most lost pets are found within 1 mile of their home/ area they were lost, so walking around where you found the pet to see if anyone recognizes them and posting flyers in the area where you found them can help reconnect pets with their owner.
  • You can search for the pet’s owner by posting flyers around the area where the pet was found (and spreading out over several miles), alerting local vet offices and sharing on social media:
• Check for AND post the found pet online
  • Pawboost
  • NextDoor
  • Petco Lovelost
  • Lost and found Facebook pages for your county (most county shelters list the links for these on their lost/found pets page)

Be sure to check out the rehoming section of this page for tips on how to help find an adopter. 

Start the Search for Your Pet:

• First and foremost: Report your missing pet to your local county shelter.
• Search the physical location that your pet went missing. Research shows that 80% of lost pets are found within a mile of where they live or where they were lost. Walking around where you lost the pet and posting flyers in the area where you found them can help reconnect pets with their owner.
• Call your local animal shelter to see if anyone else has found your pet and reported them as found. If not, the shelter will be able to register your pet as missing and keep an eye out if someone does find your pet.
• Check if your pet has been found by utilizing online resources:
  • Pawboost
  • NextDoor
  • Petco Lovelost
  • Lost and found Facebook pages for your county (most counties list the links for these on their lost/found pets page).
• Post flyers around your neighborhood and surrounding areas. Make sure to use clear pictures of your pet and include your contact information.
• Check with your pet’s microchip company. If your pet was microchipped, check with your microchip company to ensure your contact information is up to date.

Local Counties and Shelters

The specific resources available to you as a pet owner depends widely on what county you live in. The counties eligible for the Paws4ever Community Support Program are listed below.

If your county is not listed below, our Community Pet Support Program does not serve your area. We will do our best to help anyone who calls us, even if you aren’t in one of these counties. Please contact your local county shelter for more personalized recommendations on resources in your area or check out more resources available on Animal Kind.