Lost & Found

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Lost Pet: Here's What to Do

We understand how heartbreaking it is to lose a beloved four-legged family member, and we’re here to support you in your search to bring them home.

Best Practices

  • Time is critical—act quickly and remain proactive!
  • Leave familiar items like your pet’s bedding or toys outside your home to attract them back.
  • Use a flashlight at night to spot reflective eyes in bushes or dark areas.
  • Keep a record of all communications, including who you spoke with and when, to streamline the recovery process.
  • Important—update online posts and notify authorities as soon as your pet is found.

BEWARE OF PET RECOVERY SCAMS! 
Never send money to someone claiming to have your pet without proof.

Step-by-step Instructions

Follow these steps to increase the chances of reuniting with your furry friend or ensuring their safety.

Step 1: Search the Area

Begin searching immediately where your pet was last seen, checking hiding spots, neighbors’ yards, and nearby streets. Call their name calmly and bring familiar items like treats or toys to lure them back. Ask your neighbors to watch out for them.

If your pet is found with an active microchip, animal welfare agencies, including our shelter, can locate you quickly. Keeping your microchip current increases the chances of a quick reunion with your pet.

Log in to your microchip company’s website immediately to ensure your contact information is up-to-date. Write down the microchip ID number to share if needed. If you’re unsure how to update your details, contact the veterinarian or the facility that implanted the microchip for assistance.

Report your lost pet to the appropriate dispatch and provide a detailed description, including your pet’s appearance, last known location (cross-streets, mile markers), date, and time:

Then, notify our staff at 715-682-9744. Be prepared to send us a clear photo of your pet, along with the information above. We will post a Lost Pet notice on Facebook for our followers.

Important: If your pet is picked up by local Animal Control or found by a good Samaritan, it will typically be taken to our Animal Control facility and held for 5 days to allow you to claim them. To reclaim your pet from us, you’ll need to provide proof of ownership, rabies vaccination records, a county license, and pay intake and boarding fees. 

If your pet is not claimed within 5 days, we may take one or more of the following actions: provide medical care (such as altering, vaccinating, or testing) and put the pet up for adoption, or transfer the pet to another area for adoption.

Locate clear photos of your pet and post them on local community boards, social media groups, and lost-and-found pet websites. On posts, include “LOST (DOG/CAT) last seen in (CITY) at (CROSS-STREETS) on (DATE)”, a written description of the pet (color, breed, markings, collar color, etc.) to aid in identification, and your contact information. Ask people to share the post. * After posting, make sure to monitor for comments and direct messages!

Popular Lost-and-Found Websites

Popular Social Media Apps

Visit places you and your pet often go, and leave a familiar item like their bedding or some food, along with a sign asking people not to remove it. The familiar scent may encourage your pet to stay nearby, increasing the chances of finding them. Check these locations regularly.

Make physical flyers with your pet’s photo, description, last seen location, and your contact information. Post them in high-traffic areas like local stores and community centers near where your pet was lost. Be aware of local sign ordinances to ensure your poster remains up and effective, as it may be removed if placed in a restricted area.

Lost Pet Flyer Template (Editable, Microsoft Word Format, Can use in Google Docs.)

Notify shelters, veterinarians, and groomers within a one- to two-hour radius of where your pet was last seen, such as Superior, Hayward, Ironwood, and nearby areas, and provide them with a photo and detailed description of your pet. Pets can travel far quickly—large animals may wander great distances on their own, or a well-meaning person passing through might pick up your pet and take it to a shelter, vet, or groomer near their home, an hour or more away.

Consider hiring a drone operator, such as Air Fox Photography, a reliable local company, to use a thermal drone to help locate your lost pet.

To encourage someone who may have your pet to come forward, consider mentioning a reward in your posts or flyers without specifying an amount. Stay cautious of scams, verify any claims before meeting, never pay a reward until your pet is safely returned, and always bring someone with you when meeting the finder.

Key to Success: Follow Up & Stay Persistent

Stay in close contact with our shelter and local authorities to follow up on any leads. Especially if your pet lacks tags or a microchip as they can be harder to identify. They will keep your information on file and notify you immediately if your pet is found.

Continue to search the area where your pet was last seen and keep updating online posts with clear photos and details to ensure your pet’s information stays visible and increases the chances of a swift reunion.

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Found Pet: What to Do

Thank you for taking the time to help a pet in need! Follow these instructions to help reunite the animal with its family or ensure its safety.

Best Practices

  • Stay calm and approach the animal gently to avoid scaring it.
  • If the pet appears injured or sick, contact a veterinarian or the shelter immediately for guidance.
  • Keep a record of all communications, including who you spoke with and when, to streamline the reunion process.

Step-by-step Instructions

By following these steps, you’re giving a lost pet the best chance to return home safely.

Step 1: Ensure the Pet’s Safety

If the animal is in immediate danger, such as on a busy road, carefully move it to a safe location. Use a leash or rope for dogs, or a box or carrier for cats, to keep them secure.

Avoid removing the animal far from where it was found, as this can make reuniting it with its family more difficult. If you must transport the pet, note the exact location where it was found and inform the shelter or dispatch.

Look for a collar with tags, which may include the owner’s contact information or a microchip ID. If tags are present, call the owner directly. If not, contact a local vet to scan for a microchip.

Report your found pet to the appropriate dispatch and provide a detailed description, including the pet’s appearance, location found (cross-streets, mile markers), date, and time:

Then, notify our staff at 715-682-9744. Be prepared to send us a clear photo of the pet, along with the information above. We will post a Found Pet notice on Facebook for our followers.

If you found the pet in a rural area, it may not be lost but simply roaming. Visit nearby homes or properties to ask if anyone recognizes the animal or knows its owner.

Take clear photos of the pet and post them on local community boards, social media groups, and lost-and-found pet websites. On posts, include “Found (DOG/CAT) in (CITY) at (CROSS-STREETS) on (DATE)”, a written description of the pet (color, breed, markings, collar color, etc.) to aid in owner searches, and your contact information. Ask people to share the post. * After posting, make sure to monitor for comments and direct messages!

Popular Lost-and-Found Websites

Popular Social Media Apps

Make physical flyers with the pet’s photo, description, date/location found, and your contact information. Post them in high-traffic areas like local stores and community centers near where the pet was lost. Be aware of local sign ordinances to ensure your poster remains up and effective, as it may be removed if placed in a restricted area.

Found Pet Flyer Template (Editable, Microsoft Word Format, Can use in Google Docs.)

If you can safely house the pet temporarily, provide food, water, and a comfortable space while waiting for the owner or shelter assistance. If you have pets, we recommend keeping the found pet separate from your own to avoid conflicts or disease transmission.

If the pet cannot stay with you, arrange to bring it to our shelter facilities. Follow up to check on the pet’s status and whether it has been reunited with its owner.

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