Lost or Found Animals | Throw Me a Bone Dog Rescue

LOST PETS

If you have lost your pet first contact the animal control services that serve not only your city/county but also those that serve areas immediately outside your community (see list below for services nearest our rescue organization). You never know how far an animal can wander or where it can be taken to. You will need to go to the animal services locations to complete a lost animal report and go in person at least every other day to check what animals have come in. Only you will know for sure if an animal is yours. And don’t give up too quickly.
Enlist the help of friends and neighbors. Go door-to-door. Post on Facebook, Twitter, Craigslist, etc.. Getting the word out is crucial. And check local veterinarians to see if your animal was brought to them after an injury.

Lastly, be sure you have microchipped your pet (let us know if you need information on microchipping). Keep your contact information with the microchip company up to date. A microchip is great, but if you cannot be contacted, it is pointless.

FOUND ANIMALS

Should you happen to find an animal, first report it to the animal control services for the city/county you found it in. You can bring it to them, they may be able to pick it up, or, if you have it in your heart to “foster” it while attempting to locate its owner, that is even better. However, be aware that it is illegal to keep or give away an animal you found until after you have tried to find the owner and have waited the required number of days for your jurisdiction (typically 30 days).

Again, posting on Craigslist, Facebook, etc. is a great way to get the message out that you found an animal. However, posting a picture is not ideal. Rather, post its size, species (cat/dog/rabbit), location and date it was found. That way, if someone does contact you saying they think it is their animal, they will need to prove it by giving you its sex, color, and other identifying characteristics.