Lost and Found Pets Frequently Asked Questions

Click on + for more information.

I found a dog or cat. What should I do?,

Please post any found pets on the Lost and Found page of our website. It’s also a good idea to put up fliers in the area around where you found the pet. Please include a picture! Descriptions can vary greatly, but a picture is the best way to help unite a lost pet with their family. If you found a dog with a license, you can search for the owner.

If you found the animal in Livingston County and you can’t hold it until the owner is found, you can bring it to the Shelter. We will hold it as a stray for 4-7 days. At the end of that time, if the animal has a good temperament and is healthy, we will spay or neuter it, give it any necessary veterinary care, and put it up for adoption. If the animal is aggressive or in poor health (an illness that is not easily treatable) we will humanely euthanize it.

I lost a dog or cat. What should I do?,

Please post any found pets on the Lost and Found page of our website. When someone brings a stray animal to the Shelter, our software automatically brings up recently lost pets and looks for a match. Please make sure that we have a good contact number for you when you post your report!

You should also look at the postings on our Lost and Found page and see if any match the description of your lost pet. Someone may be holding it at their home, waiting for you to call. It is important to check our website daily, or visit the Shelter in person every day while your pet is lost. Strays are held for 4-7 days before being put up for adoption, so it is important that you find your pet before the stray hold ends.

When a lost pet comes into the Shelter, it will automatically appear on the Strays page of our website, once it is booked into our system. A picture usually appears within 1-2 days.

I found a dog or cat in a surrounding county. What should I do?,

Please do not bring us lost pets from other counties!

The pet’s owner will most likely not look for a pet in Livingston County if it was lost in a surrounding county. If you find a pet in another county, do not take it home with you. The best course of action is to call or stop in at a local vet clinic and ask them to assist. They may be able to hold the pet or contact the animal shelter in that area so the owner can have a chance to claim their pet.

A vet clinic or shelter will also be able to scan the animal to see if it has a microchip that can help locate its owner.