Lost a Pet?

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Lost a Pet?

Click to download this tip card and list of local animal shelters!

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Here are 4 simple tips!

Time is of the essence! DO NOT delay or assume "He'll find his way home." Your pet could be in another person's home, stuck in a garage or tool shed, or at one of the many local animal shelters. Without ID, animals are only required to be held in California shelters for THREE DAYS. With ID, animals are held for ten days, but if your pet's ID tags and/or microchip don't have your current information, they are useless. We recommend that you follow these steps to recover your lost pet.

Step One: Check the animal shelters that provide service to your area. View the photos posted online of the animals at that shelter, then call the shelter and make a lost report, then go down there in person. Visiting in person is critical as miscommunication can easily happen over the phone or internet.

Step Two: If your pet is microchipped, call the chip company to make sure it is registered and that the contact information is correct. Do not assume that the vet, breeder, or shelter that implanted the chip has registered it.

Step Three: Post highly visible signs around your neighborhood. Download and print out this flyer. Often well-meaning people assume that stray pets have been abandoned, and will take them home. Consider buying or renting a humane cage trap for a missing cat, as many frightened cats will hide close to home and not respond when called.

Lost pet flyers can be mailed, faxed, or emailed to the shelter. See below!

Step Four: Post internet lost pet ads with photos. Craigslist is a very popular site and a good place to start. You can search and post on other sites such as Petfinder and Petharbor. Visit Missing Pet Partnership for more detailed pet recovery tips and links to pet detectives.

Don't give up! Some pets go missing for weeks before they are found. Pets can wander very far or be transported by well meaning people who found them, so it’s best to check all the shelters if you can, but at least check the one for your city.

Here is a list of all the animal control agencies in Santa Clara County including the cities they serve. Click LOST DOGS or LOST CATS to go directly to the page with the pictures of pets at that shelter. If you think you see your pet, contact them immediately!

County of Santa Clara