Losing your beloved pet can be a very scary and traumatic experience for both of you, but there is no need to panic. By following the right steps, many pets are found and can return home safely, and we’re here to help!
1. Make LOST PET flyers to post in your neighborhood. You can use an online lost pet flyer template to help you get started. Keep it simple: “LOST DOG/CAT!” should be at the top in large, easy to read, (even from a moving vehicle) bold letters. Don’t assume that people will know your pet’s particular breed, so always include a description. 2. Contact veterinary clinics, including emergency veterinary hospitals both inside and neighboring your local area. Sometimes people pick up a stray and drive it to a distant clinic, especially if it’s after regular appointment hours. 3. Call neighboring shelters outside of Montgomery County. Some animals may wander from the County boundary lines, or the finder may have brought them to another shelter by accident.
1. Hang your posters with duct tape at major intersections within a 3-mile radius of where your dog was lost, or 1-mile radius of where your cat was lost. 2. Visit MCASAC and other local shelters in person during opening hours to look for your pet. Please ask a staff member to assist you in walking through the shelter since they can access staff-only areas. Make sure to bring photo of your pet and give a flyer to the front desk staff if you have one. We may not recognize your pet from the flyer if they come in at a later date, as the days or weeks that have passed may change their appearance, so be sure to visit the shelter as frequently as you can. 3. Conduct a physical search of your neighborhood, the area where your pet was last seen, or where they’re known to frequent. Call their name and have treats, a leash, or carrier ready to contain them if found. Tell everybody you encounter that you’re looking for your lost pet and ask them to contact you if your pet is seen (remind them to not chase or scare your pet if they’re spotted.)
A friendly, confident dog is more likely to be found where people or other dogs gather. A shy, frightened or injured dog, or one lost in an unfamiliar area, is more likely to be hiding or on the run. Create a game plan for recovering your pet based on typical lost dog behavior and your dog’s personality, but be aware even a confident dog may become skittish when lost. Most dogs are recovered well within a two-mile circle of their home, especially because they will likely not run for an extended length in a straight line.
Start placing food and water in a safe spot in the area where you suspect your cat is hiding (a large plastic storage container turned on its side can protect the food from rain). If you suspect your cat is visiting the feeding station, set a humane trap to capture them. MCASAC and many rescue groups will have a trap you can borrow. (Be sure to monitor the trap and quickly release any wildlife or other animal you unintentionally capture.) The Missing Animal Response Network has found that cats will often hide for around 10 days after becoming displaced from their territory before they “break cover” and come out of hiding, so don’t lose hope if there are no sightings of your cat in the first two weeks of them going missing. 75% of cats are found within a 0.3 mile radius of where they went missing, though indoor-outdoor cats may be more likely to travel a bit further.
Finding a lost pet can take time, so don’t give up if they’re not found within the first few hours or days. Start searching immediately and often. Animals that are lost may still be close to home. Even the friendliest and most social pet may quickly become skittish and scared when lost. He or she may even run away from you if spooked. Don’t chase after a lost pet –they are much faster than we are and you’ll only scare them more. Instead, sit on the ground; speak to them in a soft, friendly, normal voice, repeating his or her name and familiar phrases over and over again. A frightened animal will usually stick around and eventually come closer. Don’t give up in searching for your lost friend. Missing pets have been known to be found weeks, months, and even years after going missing. MCASAC is always here as a resource for you and your pet. Please do not hesitate to contact MCASAC for more information.
If you have lost your pet, you should immediately file a Lost Report with the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center: Online: An online lost report can be filled out at Pet Harbor. On this site you will select to "Register to receive emails" from the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center (our shelter); you will receive daily email updates listing all pets found in your area that match your pet's description. Be sure that you are entering all descriptors in the proper field. Be sure to upload a recent photograph of your pet. In person: Bring in a photograph if you have one available so that we can better match up your pet with the animals at the shelter. We are located at:
7315 Muncaster Mill Rd. Derwood, MD 20855 Google Maps
By phone: (240) 773-5900 Please call during open hours, and be prepared to give a detailed description of your animal. You should also be prepared to provide our customer service representative with a recent photograph of your pet, via email if possible.
If you believe your lost pet is at our shelter and ready to reclaim it, please be prepared to present the following items*:
License and vaccination records
Purchase or adoption receipts
Microchip registration documents
Veterinary records
In cases where "next of kin" is reclaiming a pet:
Power of attorney
*Items should have name that corresponds with ID or photo identification.
Lost and Found (Includes Pet Reclaim and Services Fees)
Find out how licensing your pet can help reunite you with them.
If you have found an animal either bring it to the Center or, if you want to keep it in your house, file a found report with us. Many animals are reunited by matching up lost reports with found reports. Online: An online found report can be filled out at Pet Harbor. Be sure that you are entering all descriptors in the proper field. Be sure to upload a photograph of the animal, if possible.
In person: Bring in a photograph. Office staff will assist you with form completion.
By phone: (240) 773-5900 Please call during open hours. After you have phoned in a report, photographs can be emailed to your customer service representative.
