Archive for category: FAQ – Stray and Lost Pets

If your cat or dog is lost, these are some steps you can take to be reunited as quickly as possible:

• If your pet is microchipped, alert the microchip company where the chip is registered.
• Look close to home, including in bushes and under decks. Ask your neighbors to do the same on their property. Repeat this at night, as your pet may hide during the day and only feel safe to come out at night. Bring treats with you, as well as any supplies that may help you catch or contain your pet if you find it (for example, a slip lead if your dog broke free of their collar/leash or a carrier if you’re looking for a cat).
• Post on  Nextdoor, Petco Love Lost, and any other places your neighbors or community might have access to (for example, a neighborhood Facebook group).
• View the “found pet” listings on the websites above (and any others) and look for posts that might describe your pet.
• Visit your local county shelter in-person daily (or as often as possible) and ask to view all of their new intakes.
• Post flyers in the area with quality photos and your contact information.
• Send photos to local shelters and rescues and ask them to contact you if anyone brings your pet in.
• Create lures for your pet near your house and doors, such as clothing that smells like you, toys they might recognize, and their favorite treats. Consider setting up cameras to determine if they are still in the neighborhood and visiting these “stations.”

There are additional resources available, such as tracking dogs, in some communities.

PLEASE NOTE: We scan every animal we take in for a microchip. We also welcome those who have found an animal to visit our adoption center to have it scanned for free. If you have lost your pet and it is microchipped, and it enters our doors, we will make every effort to contact you!

If you have found a stray cat or dog, immediately take them to a vet to get scanned for a microchip. If the scan comes back without owner information, you should list the found animal on Triangle Lost Pets and Nextdoor.

Take the pet to your local shelter in case the owner is looking for them there. Shelters place mandated “stray holds” for lost pets for a certain amount of days. This means that the animal must be kept at the shelter for a certain amount of time before it is adopted out, euthanized, etc. This will allow time for the owner to find his or her lost pet. Keep in mind, just because a shelter can euthanize does not mean they will.

As a last resort, you may submit a stray dog or stray cat surrender form with us. Our cat and dog teams assess the submissions on a case-by-case basis and will determine if we have room for the animal in our program. Please wait five business days for us to assess and respond to the submission. If you have any questions, please reach out to our Medical Coordinator, Paula, or our Senior Director of Operations, Lisa.

Stray Cat Form

Stray Dog Form