Lost pet tips

Most of what helps a lost pet get home is simple and free: look close to home, tell the people who are most likely to see your pet, and make it easy for someone to reach you. Start with the steps below, then read the tips for your kind of pet.

Step-by-step guides

1. Search the area right away

• Start where your pet was last seen and work outward. Walk slowly, call your pet’s name in a calm voice and stop often to listen.
• Check places a scared animal can squeeze into: under porches, decks, cars and sheds, in garages, bushes and window wells.
• Ask neighbors to check their garages, sheds and yards. Pets get shut in by accident.
• Go back out at quiet times, early morning and late evening, and bring a flashlight. Eyes reflect light in the dark.
• Leave something that smells like home near your door: worn clothing, your pet’s bedding, a litter box or a cage.

2. Tell shelters, vets and animal control

• Call or visit every animal shelter and animal control office near you, including ones in nearby towns. Give them a photo and your phone number.
• Visit shelters in person every day or two if you can. Staff may describe an animal differently than you would.
• Call the vet clinics and emergency vets in the area. People often take an injured or found pet to the nearest vet.
• Check the found pet listings and lost and found posts in your area every day, not just once.

3. Put up flyers

• Use one large, clear photo, the word LOST, your pet’s name and kind, the area and date it went missing, and a phone number.
• Post flyers at eye level at intersections, mailbox areas, pet stores, vet clinics, laundromats, gas stations and community boards.
• Hand flyers to mail carriers, delivery drivers, dog walkers and kids in the neighborhood. They notice animals.
• Replace flyers that are torn or faded, and take them down once your pet is home.

See how to make a flyer people notice.

4. Update the microchip and tags

• Update the microchip. If your pet is microchipped, call your microchip company, report your pet lost and check that your phone number and address are current. If you aren’t sure which company holds the record, a vet or shelter can scan your pet’s records or you can look up the chip number with a free online lookup tool.
• If your pet’s ID tag has an old number, ask whoever answers that number to pass on messages.

5. Post online

• Create a free lost pet listing so people who find a pet can search for it and reach you.
• Post in your local social media groups, neighborhood apps and community lost and found pet groups. Use the same photo and details as your flyer.
• Ask friends and neighbors to share your post. Reply to comments and check messages often.

Watch out for reward scams

• Never send money, a deposit or a “shipping” or “transport fee” before you see your pet in person.
• Be wary of anyone who asks for gift cards, a wire transfer or a payment app, or who says your pet is far away and must be shipped.
• Leave one identifying detail out of your listing and flyer (a scar, a marking, a tag color). Ask callers to describe it.
• Ask for a current photo or a short video call before you meet.
• Meet in a public place in daylight, bring someone with you and tell others where you are going.
• If you offer a reward, pay it only when your pet is back with you.

Keep going

Pets can turn up days or weeks later. Keep checking shelters, keep your listing and flyers current, and keep your phone on. When your pet is home, mark your pet home on your listing and take your flyers down.

Need a checklist? Read the first 24 hours.

Questions people ask

What should I do first when my pet goes missing?

Search the area where your pet was last seen, ask neighbors to check garages and sheds, then call nearby shelters, vets and animal control. Create a free listing and put up flyers the same day.

Who should I call about a lost pet?

Call every animal shelter and animal control office near you and in nearby towns, local vet clinics and emergency vets, and your microchip company if your pet is chipped.

How often should I check animal shelters?

Visit in person every day or two if you can. Animals are described differently by different people, so seeing them yourself is the most reliable way to check.

Should I offer a reward for my lost pet?

You can, but never pay anything before your pet is back with you. Be wary of anyone who asks for a fee, gift cards or a wire transfer first.

How do I avoid lost pet scams?

Keep one identifying detail out of your listing and ask callers to describe it, ask for a current photo or video call, meet in a public place with someone you trust, and never send money in advance.