Sign up for our eNews Back to the Homepage
Adoptions Help the Animals Events Programs & Services Behavior & Training Resources About Us Press Shop

Is your cat lost? See photos of lost cats here.

Is your rabbit lost? See photos of lost rabbits here.


If You Find a Missing Pet

  • Call the Marin Humane Society at (415) 883-4621 to report the animal immediately.
     
  • As soon as possible, please bring the pet to the Marin Humane Society or your local animal shelter. We will scan it for a microchip and try to identify it, and you can file a found animal report. If you want, you can leave the pet with us. Directions to MHS
     
  • If you are willing to put in the effort for the pet, you can put up found animal posters in the area where you found it, and post a description of the animal (with photos) on the pets section of Craigslist.org.


Be Prepared in Case Your Pet Gets Lost

  • Keep ID tags/license on your pet at all times and microchip your pet.
  • Keep your dog confined and walk him or her on a leash.
  • Train your pet to respond to your commands.
  • Be sure your current address and phone
    numbers are listed on all of your pet's registration records.

How to Find Your Lost Pet

Is your cat lost? See photos of lost cats here.

Is your rabbit lost? See photos of lost rabbits here.

Introducing the Together Tag Pet ID and Recovery Service! It's the perfect complement to your pet's microchip. Find out more.

The loss of a pet is upsetting and stressful. We have prepared the following suggestions to help you find your missing friend. Please take a few minutes to read them.

  • Come to The Marin Humane Society in person as soon as possible. Visit within five days of losing your pet and come at least twice a week until your pet is found.

  • Return to look at least twice a week or as often as possible. Stray pets sometimes arrive weeks or months after they first disappear. We are required to hold stray animals for six days, although we try to hold them longer.
  • If your cat is lost, we encourage you to email a photo to lostcats@marinhumanesociety.org. Please include the following information: name, phone number, city where you believe your cat went missing as well as the date.
    Be sure to type “Lost Cat” in the subject line to prevent your email from being classified as SPAM. It is helpful for our staff to have this information and will hopefully contribute to the safe return of your cat.

  • An Animal Care Technician will assist you in looking through our stray, adoption, isolation and quarantine kennels. Collars and tags are easily lost and you are the only one who can positively identify your pet.
  • A Customer Care Technician will assist you in looking through the Found and At Vet/DOA books at our front counter.
  • Please file a lost report in the Lost Book at The Marin Humane Society. Update the report whenever you visit the shelter and place it in the front of the Lost Book to keep it current.
  • We advise you to check all neighboring animal shelters as soon as possible. Your pet can run fast and far. When pets are found, people often take them to the shelter nearest their home.
  • Please call our lost animal recording every night after 6 p.m. The recording is made daily and only includes pets who were brought in during the previous 48 hours.

    Unfortunately, it is NOT a complete listing of all pets in the shelter. The number is (415) 883-4621 – press 377 for lost dogs, 378 for lost cats and 379 for all other lost animals.
  • Search for your pet. Canvass your neighborhood on foot, by car, during the day and at night. Look in garages, yards, basements, closets, under cars, in shrubbery, and at your neighbors' homes as well as your own.
  • Call and whistle to your pet. She may be injured, frightened, trapped or unable to come to you. Hearing your voice may encourage your pet to answer you. Remain in one place long enough for your pet to find you after you call.
  • Tell friends, neighbors, kids, babysitters, mail carriers, etc. that your pet is missing.
  • Post "Lost Pet" notices on bulletin boards in stores, churches, libraries and around your neighborhood. Include the pet's name, description, a photograph, and your name, address and phone number.
  • Advertise in local newspapers. Some run free Lost Pet columns, others will charge. Offer a reward, but do not specify the amount.
  • Watch the Found Pet columns in the local newspapers.
  • Contact local radio stations. Some may be willing to make an announcement for you.
  • Contact breed clubs and specific rescue groups if your pet is a purebred. They may have information on your animals.

When filling out lost reports or writing an ad for local newspapers, remember to include the following:

  • Pictures of your pet
  • A description of what your pet was wearing (collar, etc.)
  • A description of your pet's physical characteristics (breed, color, identifying marks, etc.)

When you find your pet, examine him or her thoroughly for hidden injuries or signs of illness.


You can download these lost pet notices to reproduce. You can fill out the lost/found report and fax or mail it to us. You will need Adobe Acrobat to view and print them.

Lost Dog Notice
Lost Cat Notice
Lost/Found Report


Local Newspapers:


Some Neighboring Animal Shelters:

North Bay

Healdsburg Animal Shelter
570 Westside Rd., Healdsburg, CA 95448
707) 431-3386

Humane Society of Sonoma County
5345 Hwy. 12 W., Santa Rosa, CA 95405
(707) 542-0882

Napa County Animal Shelter
942 W. Imola Ave., Napa, CA 94558
(707) 253-4381

Petaluma Animal Shelter
840 Hopper St., Petaluma, CA 94952
(707) 778-4396

Pets Lifeline
19786 8th Street East, Sonoma, CA 95476
(707) 996-4577

Rohnert Park Animal Shelter
301 J. Rogers Lane, Rohnert Park, 94928
(707) 584-1582

Sonoma County Animal Shelter
1247 Century Ct., Santa Rosa, CA 95403
(707) 565-7104

East Bay

Alameda Animal Shelter
1590 Fortman Way, Alameda, CA 94501
(510) 748-4585

Berkeley City Animal Shelter
2013 2nd St., Berkeley, CA 95710
(510) 981-6600

Berkeley East Bay Humane Society
2700 9th St., Berkeley, CA 95710
(510) 845-7735

Oakland Animal Shelter
1101 29th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601
(510) 535-5605

Solano County Animal Shelter
2510 Claybank Rd., Fairfield, CA 94533
(707) 421-7486

San Francisco

San Francisco Animal Care and Control
1200 15th St., San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 554-6364

Please notify us when you find your pet. We like happy endings, too!

 

Contact | Site Map | Privacy & Security | Terms of Use

Copyright 2009 The Marin Humane Society. All rights reserved.
171 Bel Marin Keys Blvd., Novato, CA 94949 USA



Pet Cremation & Euthanasia Dog Licensing Lost & Found Pets Animal Permits Stray Hotline Pet Partnership Program Veterinary Clinic Pen Pals of San Quentin Volunteer at the Marin Humane Society Education Low-Cost Clinics Pet Care Assistance Special Human-Animal Relationships (SHARE) eNews County Animal Services Pet Services Dog Licensing Lost & Found Pets