HOW TO FIND A LOST PET
Thousands of strays are picked up or brought into the Pima Animal Care Center (PACC) or other shelters every year. Lives could be saved, both in the shelters and on the street, if more were returned to their owners or were held by someone until the owner is found.
Pet owners and people who have found pets may not know to look at PACC and other shelters or how to go about finding their pet. We hope you will spread the message about being thorough when working to reunite pets and their owners- and start where the animal was lost or found as there is a GOOD chance the pet has not gone far.
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 YOUR PETS AT ALL TIMES
What to do:
Most people who find a pet will do one or two things to find the owner. So YOU must try to do as many things as possible!
Local Shelters
REPORT to local shelters and microchip company, include a picture and ask if they have received any found reports that match.
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- Humane Society of Southern Arizona at (520) 327-6088 or file report online.
- Pima Animal Care Center (PACC): File a report and upload a picture at Petcoluv. Petcoluv uses facial recognition to match with pets at PACC, many other shelters as well as pets that are being held at the home of the finder who files a report. You will be notified if a pet matching yours is at or comes into Pima Animal Care Center or is posted by a finder. Call (520) 724-7222 if the owner has no internet access to file this report.
CONTACT/NOTIFY your microchip company.
SEARCH shelter websites every day for animal coming into shelters
Look at Humane Society of Southern AZ page to view strays and found reports.
Look at Pima Animal Care pages to view stray dogs at the shelter or stray cats at the shelter.
Note: these pets will also be available for adoption on the following schedule:
strays with no ID are held for 3 days then evaluated/put up for adoption.
strays with an ID are held for 5 days before evaluated/put up for adoption.
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.
VISIT shelters
It is important to visit the shelters to look and see if your pet is there.
Keep in mind your pet can arrive at the shelter any time, from days to weeks after going missing. Sometimes people keep an animal for a week or two and post fliers and then bring them to the shelter. It is important to check in person at least every other day and for as long as necessary.
Signs and Neighborhood Canvasing
Look for and post signs
DOGS:
Most lost dogs are within one mile of their home and in the care of a well-meaning neighbor, especially if they are small or friendly dogs, they probably didn’t travel very far at all before someone took them in. For more information on lost dog behavior, check this page at Missing Animal Response Network.
Look for fliers and post LARGE BRIGHT signs in the neighborhood or wherever last seen. Signs don’t need to be elaborate – the fewer words the better. Place the sign where someone driving by can read it without slowing down, or at places where they will stop.
Use large lettering, a picture (if possible) in a plastic sleeve, date lost, and your contact info: LOST BLACK FEMALE DOG / DATE LOST / PHONE NUMBER. For more detailed recommendations on signage check this page at Missing Animal Response Network.
Fliers (8×11) are helpful to post on local bulletin boards or to hand out. If you decide to post small fliers you can make them with a free template here. A Ziploc bag will weatherproof the flier.
Where to put your signs:
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- Entrances/exits to your neighborhood and those of adjoining neighborhoods.
- Distribute fliers at nearby stores and had to postal worker if they will take one. (you can make them with a free template here)
Please be sure to take your signs back down when you find your pet so neighbors will know to help you again if needed!
Tag your car: Your car is a moving billboard. Consider marking your windows with the same information: LOST DOG, where lost, your phone number and tape a photo from inside. (check it out here).
FOR SUGGESTIONS ON CATCHING A PANICKED DOG check out this page Missing Animal response Network.
CATS:
Most cats are nearby within their territory and hiding silently. While signs/fliers may be helpful, it is more likely the cat is hiding and therefore more important that someone search nearby hiding places (inside sheds etc). For more information on lost cat behavior, check this page at Missing Animal Response Network. And read this article for reasons NOT to put their litter box outside to attract the,.
Notify your neighbors and search their yards
Personally notify as many people around your home as possible. If done immediately, this is the most effective method. Ask your neighbors if you may search their yard! Especially for cats.
Internet and Social Media
Post and check the ‘lost/found’ AND the ‘pets’ Community, For Sale, and Free sections.
Pawboost.com File report and check found pets.
Nextdoor.com (free and easy to join this neighborhood based social media) and any other neighborhood listserve or yahoo group.
Facebook.
Post and check the lost pet listings on at least a few facebook 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
Wally’s Group of Lost Dogs (for Eastside/Far East Tucson, Vail, Corona, and Southeast Pima)
Vail/Corona Tucson Area, Lost and Found Pets
Rancho Sahuarita Pet Page
Gladden Farms and Continental Ranch Lost and Found Pets
NW Tucson lost n found fur babies
Oro Valley Lost and Found Pets
Picture Rocks/Avra Valley/Marana lost and found animals
Newspapers
Post and check our local newspaper.
A “lost pet” ad in the paper is free. Review the paper for “found pet” ads.
There are still many people who have never used the internet and may review ads in the paper for lost reports. Also, if the person who found your pet is not in your neighborhood, they won’t see the signs you put up.
Place a free ad in the Tucson Shopper (620-9619). Check ads in the shopper for found pets.