
How to help a found pet
Did you know most found pets are actually lost and found close to home? Lost pets are much more likely to get back home if we take a few simple steps to help their people find them. When lost pets are brought to shelters, reclaim rates by their families are typically low, so first use the tips below as a guide to reunite a lost pet with their family before bringing them to a shelter.
Work the neighborhood.
Walk the pet door-to-door in the area to and ask if anyone recognizes it. Speak with neighbors, postal carriers, landscapers, and anyone else in the vicinity who might know where the animal lives.
Get the word out.
Post photos of the pet on your social media, neighborhood sites (e.g. NextDoor.com), and lost-and-found pet groups on Facebook. You can also post a free listing in the Community Lost and Found area on your local Craigslist site.
Create a flyer with a good photo of the pet and your phone number. Print out copies of the flyer and post them throughout your community, especially in the area where you found the pet. Email the flyer to your friends, family, and other contacts in the surrounding area, and ask them to alert others.
Look for identification.
Check for an ID tag on their collar and look for contact information. You can also take them to a pet store, vet office, or animal shelter to scan for a microchip.
Fill out a found pet report.
Visit the icarestl.org and fill out a Found Pet Report. Lost and Fount Pet Reports are reviewed by shelter staff to help reunite pets with their families.
Foster the pet.
Volunteering to foster a lost pet until the family or a new home is found is a great way to help pets in our community. CARE STL can provide veterinary care and supplies at no cost, while you provide the home and love.
Report A Found Pet
Feeling uncertain about what steps to take? Generally, pets tend to stay relatively close to their homes, so it's likely that someone nearby is actively searching for them. Share the details of the pet you've found by submitting your report here. Meanwhile, provide a safe space for the pet by placing them in a spare room within your own home or inquire at the shelter if they have an available crate for temporary use.

We ask you to take the following steps if you find a lost pet:
Keep the dog for at least 48 hours.
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Visit the nearest veterinary clinic to have the dog or cat scanned for a microchip.
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Hang signs near the location where you found the pet.
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Share the pet’s information and photo on Facebook lost pet groups, Nextdoor, and other neighborhood pages.

Find a Pet After Hours?
Not sure what to do? Typically, pets don’t wander too far from home, so the chances are that someone is looking for them close to where they were found. Email the shelter at info@icarestl.org so they know that a pet has been found. Put the pet in an extra room in your home or crate them overnight and call the shelter the next day. You can also call the non-emergency line (314) 231-1212 to make a report.
Pet Resources
CARE STL wants to help families keep the pets they love. Many resources are available in our community to help care for your pets.
Pet Food and Supplies
CARE STL has a pet food bank to assist families in feeding their pets and is available during business hours. We are also able to provide donated supplies to families as they are available. If you're in need of a specific item, please call CARE to see if the time is available.
Behavior Support
CARE STL has a team of training and enrichment staff who can offer advise on your pet behavior questions. Support services may include complimentary training consultations or referral services.
Veterinary Care
Carol House Quick Fix Pet Clinic provides a variety of affordable veterinary services, including spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, etc. (stlspayneuter.org)
APA Adoption Center Clinic provides vaccinations, wellness care, minor illness care, etc. (apamo.org)
Animal Medical Center of Mid-America provides low-cost spay/neuter, vaccinations, microchips, care for sick pets, etc. (amcma.org)
