CLOSURE NOTICE: Memphis Animal Services will be closed to the public on Wednesday, March 25 for staff in-service training. Normal hours resume the following day. ×

LOST & FOUND

I Found a Pet

You can significantly increase the chances of reuniting the pet with their family by following the simple steps below. 

The majority of lost or stray animals have families who love them and are typically found less than one mile from their homes. To keep pet families together, it is best to try to locate a lost pet’s family prior to bringing the animal to the shelter. 

If this is an emergency, like the pet needs immediate medical care or is a threat to public safety, call 901-545-COPS. If human lives are in danger, please call 911. 

I Need Assistance with a Pet I Found

How to Search for the Pet’s Owner

Within the First Hour

DISCLAIMER: If the animal is injured, sick or malnourished, please take them to the nearest veterinarian clinic or contact your local animal control agency by calling 545-Cops. 

Check for ID
 Look for a collar with a phone number stitched in or a tag with contact information you can call. 

Alert Your Neighbors
Take a clear photo of the pet and share it with your neighbors through the platforms your community uses most—such as Nextdoor, a neighborhood Facebook group, or a community email list. Include a detailed description, cross streets or exact location where the pet was found, and your contact information. 

Walk the Neighborhood
If you can, walk the area where the pet was found and ask neighbors if they recognize the animal or know who the owner might be. 

Check for a Microchip
Bring the pet to the nearest veterinary clinic, fire station or to Memphis Animal Services for a free microchip scan. This is one of the quickest ways to reunite pets with their families. 

Within the next few hours

Bring the Animal to Safety
If you bring a found pet into your home, keep them separate from your own pets and wash your hands often. This helps prevent the spread of illness. 

Check Lost Pet Listings
The owner may already be searching online. Look on sites like Petco Love Lost, Pawboost, and local social media groups. 

Post the Pet as Found
Submit a Found Pet Report to Memphis Animal Services so our staff can be on alert if the owner contacts us. 

Also post on Petco Love Lost, Pawboost, and local Facebook or Nextdoor groups. Tip: Create one original Facebook post and share it across groups so you only have to update one post as things change. 

Make Flyers and Walk the Neighborhood
PetFBI has a simple online flyer tool you can print at home. Post flyers around the area where the pet was found, and talk with neighbors, postal/delivery drivers, and landscapers who may recognize the pet. 

 

Within the First 24 Hours

Hang found pet posters
Hang posters with duct tape at major intersections within a 3-mile radius of where the dog was found or a 1-mile radius of where the cat was found.
 

Continue searching local lost and found pet alert sites
Frequently search local lost and found pet alert sites for any leads on the animal’s owner and for any lost pet posts that match your found animal. 

Local Lost & Found Facebook Pages

Post and browse through other Lost & Found Facebook pages. We also recommend posting in any local neighborhood groups as well as your own social media accounts. People often post lost and found pets in these groups and it is a great way to notify neighbors to spread the word about the pet you found.

Shelters

Contact other nearby shelters to see if anyone has reported this pet lost.

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