A lost pet can be a frightening experience for any pet parent. Immediate action is crucial, but where do you start? Follow the steps below for the best chance of a reunion:
What to do immediately:
Walk the neighborhood: Take a walk around the immediate area where your pet went missing and speak to any neighbors, postal service workers, landscapers, or anyone who may have seen your lost pet. You know your pet best, so look in areas that your pet may have been interested in or comfortable hiding in. Most pets are found close to home.
Share their scent: Put a couple of your pet’s favorite items near the common entry ways into your home. The front door and the door into your yard would be the best locations. You can include items like their favorite bed, blanket, toys, their litterbox (if cat), and any other items they use frequently. Their scents may help them find their way home.
Next Steps:
Search the Found Pets page on our website (and check back often!): This page is updated multiple times daily with pets that have entered our shelter. We also recommend you visit us in-person to see if your pet is in our care. There are some circumstances when a pet in our care cannot be pictured on our website.
File a missing pet report with OCHS: Contact OCHS via private message on Facebook or Twitter to file a missing pet report. Please provide a recent pet picture, information about when/where your pet was lost and any identifying information, and your phone number where people can reach you with information.
Search for your lost pet on Petco Love Lost: OCHS has partnered with Petco Love Lost to easily help search the national lost and found database and create a searchable/shareable alert for your missing pet. Upload a picture of your pet or search by location. Powered by facial recognition technology, Petco Love Lost helps match found animals to reported lost pets nationwide.
Make sure your pet’s microchip information is current: If a finder brings your pet to a shelter or veterinarian to be scanned for a microchip, you want to make sure that all the information is correct so that you will be contacted immediately. OCHS uses Michelson Found Animals Registry for microchip registration. If you don’t know your pet’s microchip number, contact the entity that administered the microchip.
Continue to spread the word about your missing pet: Make sure any posters you make are large and bright with only relevant information on it. Place in high traffic areas and in the vicinity of where your pet went missing. Use the sharing features on Petco Love Lost to distribute your pet listing on social media channels. Ask your social media friends to share the OCHS missing pet report.
Don’t give up! Finding a lost pet can take time. Remember to regularly check the resources above and make updates as needed. New lost and found pets are added regularly to the OCHS Found Pets site and Petco Love Lost.