Lost

Lost

If you have lost an animal, please visit the Society immediately. It is vitally important that you visit the shelter daily to find your animal and complete a “lost” report, documenting details of your animal’s description. Many lost animals are brought into the shelter by way of Animal Services and the general public. Within this population an exact identity of color and breed can vary greatly. Therefore it is imperative that you come to the Society in person to identify your animal. Well meaning citizens may hold onto a lost animal for days or even weeks, in an attempt to find an owner, and then relinquish the animal to the Society after their efforts have failed to yield a guardian. In the meantime, a heartbroken guardian has come to the shelter searching for their beloved friend to no avail. This scenario is not uncommon. Therefore we urge you to bring a photo along with detailed information on your companion to the Society as soon as possible. Our animal care associates are familiar with all animals entering the shelter and maintain lost reports while trying to match them with incoming animals.

Animals become available for adoption placement after a hold period of five days if they have no identification. Those with identification are held for ten days before becoming available for adoption.

If you find your animal at the Humane Society you will be required to pay the impound fees (highlighted link to impound page) to cover the care for your animal, and the purchase of a current license. If you do not find your animal on the first visit to the Society DO NOT give up! Please return frequently to look for your lost friend. In addition we hope the list below will assist you in your search.

	Begin to look immediately. Animals can travel long distances within a few hours. Even those who know their way home may become confused on a windy day and travel even further from home.
	Expand your search by car and on foot to include a one-mile radius of your home. Call your animal’s name often and loud, and try to listen for any sounds a trapped animal might be making.
	Make a poster with clearly written information such as color, breed, size, date/location lost, and a phone number. Attach a photo. Digital copies can be inexpensively made at an office supply store.
	Post your signs in the mile radius around your home.
	Post your sign at your front door, and speak to your mail carrier. Many mail carriers have reunited lost animals with their homes, even weeks later. One such story involved a mail carrier that recognized a long lost Siamese cat from observing posted photographs, lounging in a chair on a neighbor’s front porch. The front porch turned out to be almost one mile away, and the cat had been lost for over one month.
	Speak to as many people as possible in your neighborhood. Give them a smaller version of your sign, along with a photo.
	Leave your posters at local veterinary offices and schools. Include any businesses in your area that will allow you to post or leave your information.
	Place a Lost Ad in your newspaper.
	DO NOT give up! And AGAIN! Visit the Society frequently. Do not assume someone will be able to recognize your animal. Imagine how different an animal can appear even after two weeks without food/shelter, especially if it has traveled in the rain and become dirty. Animals with full identification can lose tags from collars, or even pull out of collars.