WHAT TO DO IF YOU FOUND A PET
Ideally, please hold on to a found pet for a few days and look for the owner. That pet has a better chance of returning home than if you bring it to the shelter. PLEASE go through the steps below to help reunite the pet with owner- and if after 2 weeks nothing has worked, and you still cannot keep the pet, you can work to re-home on facebook page: Re-home Arizona Pets and Keep Them Out of Shelters. And ask us about very low cost spay/neuter-an important step before re-homing.
Thousands of strays are picked up or brought into the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) or another shelter every year. Many lives could be saved if more were returned to their owners or were held by someone until it can be claimed by the owner.
Pet owners and people who have found pets may not know to look at PACC for animals brought to the shelter, they may for instance only post and look on Craigslist. We hope you will spread the message about ALL the ways to reunite pets and their owners.
Humane Society of Southern AZ is the shelter that accepts found/stray pets from the Town of Marana and Sahuarita. All other found/stray pets will be accepted at PACC.
PLEASE MICROCHIP YOUR PETS!
PLEASE KEEP A COLLAR AND TAG ON YOU PET AT ALL TIMES!
If you found a lost pet:
Look for ID.
- Check for tags or other ID on the collar which provide information on who to contact.
2. ALWAYS have the animal scanned to look for a microchip. Most veterinary clinics, the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC), and the Humane Society will do this for free. There is also a free mobile service who will come scan the pet for you: TEXT your full address, name, number and photo of pet to 520-445-0727. LOST PAWS Free Mobile Chip Scanning will respond ASAP. Donations accepted.
If the microchip was never registered to the owner, ask the chip company if they can tell you who purchased the chip. That will be the next place to call (might be local shelter or rescue) and ask if they can contact the person who adopted that pet.
If someone scans your chip and cant find owner, ask for the microchip number so you can check further yourself. Go to Microchip Registry Lookup and put in the number. You get a list of all companies connected to the chip (oftn just one). Check them all. If no owner is named at any of the companies, ask them who purchased the chip. That is usually a rescue or shelter. Thet likely know who the owner is of the pet they chipped. Follow all leads.
File Reports:
3. Submit a ‘found report’ to the Humane Society (520) 327-6088 (or file online).
For PACC file a report and upload a picture at Petco Love Lost. This page uses facial recognition to match the dog with lost reports filed by owners. It also offers the ability make/print a flier. Call PACC at (520) 724-7222 if the finder does not have computer access to file a report.
Search Websites
4. PACC’s website has links to search their list of cats or dogs that have been reported lost.
Humane Society of Southern Arizona’s page has a link to review their lost and found reports.
Marana has a lost/found app https://www.maranaaz.gov/animal-lost-found
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- Marana Pets App Post their picture and geographical location.
- View the animals that were picked up by Marana Animal Services.
- Share postings easily to Facebook, via email, or text message.
Look for and Post Signs
Most pets are found within a mile of their home, especially if they are small and/or friendly dogs (as well as hiding cats).
5. Keep an eye out for lost pet posters. Set up posters close to where you found pet, in spots where people can see them from their cars. If you make your own poster, make it LARGE and bright to be noticed.
The fewer words the better, just a photo (see above for suggestions regarding the photo you use) and the following information: FOUND BLACK FEMALE DOG / DATE FOUND / PICTURE / YOUR PHONE NUMBER For more information on making and placing signs check this page of Missing Animal Response Network.
Canvass the neighborhood
6. Personally notify as many people around your home as possible. If done immediately, this is the most effective method.
Use the Internet and Social Media
7. Use all that are available to you.
- Craigslist Post and check the ‘lost/found’ and ‘pets’ Community sections.
- Pawboost (file report and check lost listings)
- Nextdoor.com (free and easy to join this neighborhood based social media) and any other neighborhood listserve or yahoo group.
Post and check the lost pet listings on at least a few pages (unfortunately people keep starting new pages, making it more difficult for owners to look for and find their pets):
Tucson Lost and Found Pet Support Team
Lost and Found Pets of Pima County
Tucson, AZ – Lost Dogs, Cats & Pets (local Pawboost posts are here in addition to their website)
Lost & Found Dogs And Cats In Tucson, AZ
Lost Pets in Tucson and Surrounding Area
Lost / found/rehoming pet(s) in Tucson
(there are several other statewide and national Facebook pages and services as well)
Neighborhood based Facebook pages:
Eastside Tucson Lost and Found Pets
Vail/Corona Tucson Area, Lost and Found Pets
Rancho Sahuarita Pet Page
Gladden Farms and Continental Ranch Lost and Found Pets
Oro Valley Lost and Found Pets
Picture Rocks/Avra Valley/Marana lost and found animals
Your local newspaper.
8. There are still many people who have never used the Internet. These people will be watching the newspaper for a found pet ad and if they do not live in your neighborhood, they won’t have seen the signs you put up.
In Tucson, call (520) 573-4343 to place a FOUND PET ad. The ad is FREE.
What to do when someone responds to your post and says “that’s my dog/cat!”
Request the person provide some evidence it is their pet: send you a picture, send a medical record, identify markings on the animal that were not in the picture you shared (eg describe his tail, or describe markings on left ear, is he neutered? was he wearing a collar?) ,
For suggestions on catching a panicked pet, check this page from Missing Animal Response Network.