If you have lost or found a pet, please contact the animal shelters in your area and other surrounding areas!  In Orange County, please contact the “Orange County Animal Care” in the City of Orange.

If your pet is missing, please check with the local and other city and county animal shelters on a daily basis to see if your pet has been brought to one of the facilities.  Placing fliers at pet stores, pet hospitals & and other locations, and spreading the word via the internet such as through Facebook and other public classified advertising means, may also assist in the recovery of your pet.  Post pictures where ever possible!  Check the lost and found ads in the large and the local newspapers and on line!

If your pet is missing and it has an AVID microchip implant, IMMEDIATELY contact PETtrac at AVID at (800) 336-2843.  The pet recovery hot-line is open 24/7 to help reunite pets with their loved ones!  If your pet is missing and it has a Home Again or other microchip implant, please contact that company to provide them with your lost pets’ information and microchip identification number.

If you have found a pet, the best way for it’s owner to recover it is if you report it to your local animal shelter.  Another VERY IMPORTANT STEP to take is to bring the pet to a shelter or veterinarian to have the pet scanned to see if it is implanted with a microchip!  Ask if the scanner recognizes Euro-chip frequencies and AKC chips as well.  If the pet is wearing a microchip identification tag on it’s collar, you can call the phone number provided and speak with the appropriate pet recovery assistant. 

Scanning a pet which has a microchip can prove to be the quickest and safest step in which to get the pet back to it’s family! 

If you have found a pet, many newspapers will place a “Found” ad at no cost to you.  You can also place ads in the classified advertisement sections of newspapers and other public notifications on the internet at no charge. 

For the safety of the pet, PLEASE take the following steps:

1.  Do NOT give a detailed or specific description about the pet you have found.  Unfortunately, there are people who might stake claim to a pet that is not theirs. 

2.  Ask anyone who contacts you about their lost pet to describe the pet, and to give you the pet’s name.  You can then call the pet by a different name first, then by the name that was given to you to see if it responds differently to the name which was given to you. 

3.  Ask the inquiring person to bring a picture of their pet when coming to see the pet you have found.   When the person arrives, ask to see the picture prior to allowing the person to see the pet.  This will give you the opportunity to compare the picture to the pet to see whether or not it appears to be their pet. 

4.  Observe how the pet reacts to that person.  If it does not recognize the person, request additional proof of ownership.  If it acts fearful of that person, you may refuse to relinquish the pet, but you must contact the appropriate local authorities to advise them that you have the pet and advise them of the situation.  Local authorities may include Animal Shelters, Animal Services Departments, and/or local Police Departments.

Also, don’t forget … pets have been known to travel far, far distances!  If only they could talk (our language)!  I’m sure we would hear some very exciting stories!  Even if a pet was lost in a different state or has been missing for months or longer, do not assume that it couldn’t be your pet and do not assume that the pet you found couldn’t belong to someone far, far away.  Most of all, do NOT give up hope!  Pets have been reunited with their families through many amazing ways and sometimes after very long periods of time!!!