
If you have lost your pet
1.
Chances are good they'll return.
If you have lost a dog, put out food, water, and its bed or an article of your clothing. There is a good chance that the dog will return.
Email.
Email info@icarestl.org. This email is monitored by shelter staff. Email us with the following information:
– Your name and contact number
– Pictures of your dog, face, body, and identifiable marks
– Email us their microchip information or vet records
Also, keep an eye on our Lost & Found Pets on our website just in case, and check our Daily Facebook post regarding found pets.
2.
3.
Spread the word!
Print lost flyers. Post them around where your pet was last seen and go door to door. Flyers can also be taken to vet clinics and the police department. Also, post that your pet is missing on Petco Love Lost, PetFBI, Pawboost, Lost & Found Pets Facebook page, and Missouri Lost and Found Pets Network website.
Important to note
We are proud to be the only open-admission shelter in the City of St. Louis, maintaining an impressive life-saving rate of 98%. This achievement represents one of the most challenging aspects of our work. Despite partnering with a network of like-minded rescue organizations, we continue to face a record number of lost animals entering our shelter. Because of this constant influx, we are unable to accept animals brought in by the public. With zero available space, we must prioritize taking in animals brought to us daily by Animal Control Officers.
For over a year, our shelter has been operating beyond capacity. We’ve relied on pop-up kennels, and now we have no additional space to accommodate more animals. While we are happy to offer resources and support, we strongly encourage community members to foster lost pets they find.
It’s important to note that most lost dogs do not wander far from home. Studies show that fostering a lost dog and placing signs in the area where the dog was found significantly increases the chances of reuniting the pet with its owner compared to bringing the animal to a shelter.
If you are willing to foster the pet for us, we can add them to our system and provide all the necessary supplies and support.
For cats, remember that many outdoor cats belong to someone. If a stray cat appears healthy, it’s often best to leave them where they are, as they are likely to return home on their own.
Bringing lost animals to the shelter is no longer the most effective immediate solution. Instead, fostering and networking are the best ways to help reunite pets with their owners. If an animal remains unclaimed during the required five-day stray hold and you are fostering for us, the pet will then become eligible for adoption.
We are proud of our successful efforts to care for the city’s animals, protect them from inhumane treatment, and safeguard the public from stray or potentially dangerous animals. However, we rely on the community’s support to implement these new processes and reunite pets with their families. Together, we can continue to provide compassionate care and improve outcomes for St. Louis’ beloved pets.