Tips to Help Reunite Lost Pets with OwnersAt one time or another, you may be faced with the horrifying experience of losing a beloved pet. That’s why one of our most important missions here at HSDC is reuniting lost pets with their owners. We have reunited many pets through the years, but now we want this process to be more efficient and interactive for you. So, we created an Online Searchable Database exclusively for Delaware County. Now, our community members can post their lost and found animal reports and actively search for matches themselves. We will continue to improve this database as funding allows, but we know this is a step in the right direction. Please consider making a donation help us keep this program FREE to the public.My pet is lost, or I found a stray...what should I do?Although it may take only a moment for an animal to leave the safety of its home, taking action immediately may make all the difference in finding your pet. Here are some tips to help with your search efforts. Once you have reviewed the following suggestions and guidelines, please file a lost or found report (if you haven’t done so already). Be sure to upload a picture of the animal if possible. Then, keep checking back to search for matches via our online Lost and Found Pet Database.SEARCH TIPS1.Start searching immediately. Keep in mind, pets can hide under bushes (or up in trees) and get accidentally shut inside a neighbor’s garage. Don’t just check your immediate neighbors, especially if you live in a subdivision.2.If it is an inside-only cat, place items outside that contain his scent (litter box, bedding) and yours (recently used towel or worn T-shirt). 3.Leave out food and water. You’ll at least know if “something” has visited the food station. 4.Show pictures and distribute flyers to anyone who might have seen him. This includes neighbors, mail carriers, and bus drivers. 5.Post flyers at local businesses and common meeting areas. Post a flyer near a stop sign where residents exit the subdivision. Post flyers at crossroads.6.Immediately file a report with your local humane society, dog shelter, and/or animal control officer. (Phone numbers are listed at the bottom of this page.)7.Even if your pet has been missing for awhile, we encourage you to stop by and search our shelter. Some of our cats have been here for a year.8.In Delaware County (as in most counties), stray dogs are taken to the county dog warden or dog shelter where they are held for 3 days in an attempt to locate the owner. Call the Delaware County Dog Shelter at (740) 368-1915 or search a found dog by tagnumber or street name by visiting the Delaware County Auditor’s Office. 9.Check with local veterinarians. Some law enforcement agencies also take reports.10.If it is a found pet, have it scanned for a microchip. This can be done at any humane society, dog shelter, or veterinarian office.11.Place a report in the newspaper and online(Craig’s List, facebook, PetFBI...)12.Most importantly, keep searching. It’s not uncommon to find your pet several weeks (or even months!) after it went missing.Congratulations, you found your pet. Now what?First, hug your pet and tell her how much you missed her. Then after that, be sure to let HSDC (and all the other agencies where you filed a report) know you found your pet. To delete (or update) an existing report click here.Secondly, if your pet wasn’t spayed before she ran away, then she is most likely pregnant. You should consider having her spayed immediately to avoid an unwanted litter. All pets (male and female) will be far less likely to stray if they are spayed or neutered. HSDC operates a low-cost Spay and Neuter Clinic and would be happy to assist you.Finally, make certain from here on out your dog is wearing a current dog license. We also suggest you have your pet microchipped. HSDC offers that service (along with many other veterinarian services) during our low-cost Vaccination Clinic. For more information, please call HSDC at 740-369-7387.To make a donation to directly support our Lost and Found program, please click the donate button.
Help us reunite lost pets!Support the Lost & Found Fund.
Tips to Help Reunite Lost Pets with Owners
At one time or another, you may be faced with the horrifying experience of losing a
beloved pet. That’s why one of our most important missions here at HSDC is
reuniting lost pets with their owners. We have reunited many pets through the
years, but now we want this process to be more efficient and interactive for you.
So, we created an Online Searchable Database exclusively for Delaware
County. Now, our community members can post their lost and found animal
reports and actively search for matches themselves. We will continue to improve
this database as funding allows, but we know this is a step in the right direction.
Please consider making a donation help us keep this program FREE to the public.
My pet is lost, or I found a stray...what should I do?
Although it may take only a moment for an animal to leave the safety of its home,
taking action immediately may make all the difference in finding your pet. Here are
some tips to help with your search efforts. Once you have reviewed the following
suggestions and guidelines, please file a lost or found report (if you haven’t done
so already). Be sure to upload a picture of the animal if possible. Then, keep checking back to search for matches via
our online Lost and Found Pet Database.
SEARCH TIPS
1.
Start searching immediately. Keep in mind, pets can hide under bushes (or up in trees) and get accidentally
shut inside a neighbor’s garage. Don’t just check your immediate neighbors, especially if you live in a subdivision.
2.
If it is an inside-only cat, place items outside that contain his scent (litter box, bedding) and yours (recently used
towel or worn T-shirt).
3.
Leave out food and water. You’ll at least know if “something” has visited the food station.
4.
Show pictures and distribute flyers to anyone who might have seen him. This includes
neighbors, mail carriers, and bus drivers.
5.
Post flyers at local businesses and common meeting areas. Post a flyer near a stop sign
where residents exit the subdivision. Post flyers at crossroads.
6.
Immediately file a report with your local humane society, dog shelter, and/or animal control
officer. (Phone numbers are listed at the bottom of this page.)
7.
Even if your pet has been missing for awhile, we encourage you to stop by and search
our shelter. Some of our cats have been here for a year.
8.
In Delaware County (as in most counties), stray dogs are taken to the county dog
warden or dog shelter where they are held for 3 days in an attempt to locate the owner.
Call the Delaware County Dog Shelter at (740) 368-1915 or search a found dog by tag
number or street name by visiting the Delaware County Auditor’s Office.
9.
Check with local veterinarians. Some law enforcement agencies also take reports.
10.
If it is a found pet, have it scanned for a microchip. This can be done at any humane
society, dog shelter, or veterinarian office.
11.
Place a report in the newspaper and online (Craig’s List, facebook, PetFBI...)
12.
Most importantly, keep searching. It’s not uncommon to find your pet several weeks
(or even months!) after it went missing.
Congratulations, you found your pet. Now what?
First, hug your pet and tell her how much you missed her. Then after that, be sure to let HSDC (and all the other
agencies where you filed a report) know you found your pet. To delete (or update) an existing report click here.
Secondly, if your pet wasn’t spayed before she ran away, then she is most likely pregnant. You should consider having
her spayed immediately to avoid an unwanted litter. All pets (male and female) will be far less likely to stray if they are
spayed or neutered. HSDC operates a low-cost Spay and Neuter Clinic and would be happy to assist you.
Finally, make certain from here on out your dog is wearing a current dog license. We also suggest you have your pet
microchipped. HSDC offers that service (along with many other veterinarian services) during our low-cost Vaccination
Clinic.
For more information, please call HSDC at 740-369-7387.
To make a donation to directly support our Lost and Found program,
please click the donate button.
Help us reunite lost pets!
Support the Lost & Found Fund.
