Animal Aid is a refuge for the lost unwanted, and surrendered animals in our community.
When lost animals arrive at Animal Aid we…
- Check for a microchip and council record and contact the owner immediately
- Check lost reports and other shelter records to find owners when a microchip is not present.
- Perform a health check of all pets entering the shelter and have veterinarians onsite to administer care.
- Ensure that the pet is being reunited with the rightful owner. There are often complications with legal ownership due to family separation, conflicting microchip information and outdated ownership records.
- Refer to animal records and assess if the pet is a habitual escapee in order to provide owners with containment and behavioural advice.
- Work hard to find a new home for any unclaimed animals.
What to do if your pet is missing
1) Check our Lost Pet pages
2) Contact your local vets and shelter and place a lost report
– Submit an Animal Aid Lost Report
3) Ensure your contact details are up to date with the microchip company and let them know your pet is missing. Visit Pet Address to search your pet’s microchip database company
4) Physically search for your pet
- Thoroughly search your home, sheds, vehicles and garden
- Ask your neighbours if you can search their property
- Search on foot and in the car
- Use flashlights at night. Dogs’ and Cats’ eyes are reflective to light
5) Make simple posters
- Click here for a Lost and found poster generator from G2Z
- Distribute to your neighbours. Start with the first 5-8 houses near your property and after 48 hours extend your flyer drop as far as possible
- Post A4 size notices to shop fronts, schools and everywhere that will take a poster for you. Include a photo and your contact details. Remember, people driving past will have less than 5 seconds to read it so 5 words maximum
- Place poster inside your vehicle
- Utilise local lost and found community web and social media sites to list your lost pet.
6) When you find your pet,share the happy news, take down posters and remove social media posts.
7) Update the shelter, let them know that your pet has returned
Found a Pet?
There are several ways you can assist in reuniting a lost pet with its owner, a shelter such as Animal Aid is the best option. Together with local councils we have the technology, skills, and experience to quickly reunite pets with their rightful owner.
- Ensure you protect your safety and the safety of other people and pets. Do not approach a dog or cat that is behaving aggressively; instead contact council animal management.
- Check the animal for ownership contact details (such as pet ID tags)
- Check the animal for a council registration tag and contact council with the tag number and request further advice.
- Act immediately, if the animal has not got identification or if you are not successful in reaching the owner within a few hours, contact your local shelter or council.
- Contact your local shelter and vet clinics to see if the animal has been reported as lost by the owner and leave a found report.
- Check local social media lost and found sites to see if the pet has been reported as missing. Post a photo and where the animal was found.
- If you do make contact with owner via social media or phone ensure that to the best of your ability the pet is being reunited with the legal owner. Requesting to see family photos of the pet or a copy of current registration is a reasonable way to establish connection.
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