Found Animal Guide
Thank you for helping lost pets find their way home! Studies have shown that
most lost dogs are found within 1.5 miles of their home, indicating that a loose
dog in your yard most likely has a home in your neighborhood. Studies have also
shown that finders are successful in re-uniting the lost dog with their owner
within 3 days by utilizing the resources in this document.
This guide will provide helpful tips to help you find the owner as soon as possible.
Please be advised that it is illegal to rehome a stray pet without first actively searching for the owner.
If after 2 weeks you are unable to locate the owner, please contact Alachua County Animal Resources for
further guidance.
Alachua County Animal Resources and Care Contact Information:
(352) 264-6870
3400 NE 53
rd
Ave. Gainesville, FL 32609
Look for a tag with contact information for the owner or a Rabies Tag.
Call the number on the tag. If there is not an answer, leave a voicemail and send the
number a text message.
If there is a Rabies Tag, contact Alachua County Animal Resources and Care to help track
down owner information.
CAT FINDERS:
Before getting started, does the cat have an ear-tip? If the cat is missing the top tip of
one of his or her ears, this means the cat is likely a community cat, and someone in your
area is likely caring for him or her. Ear-tipped cats CAN have indoor homes and may
have someone actively searching for them, so you can still use the tips below as well as
the Facebook Group, Gainesville Community Cats and Kittens.
For more information about community cats in Gainesville, please reach out to
Operation Catnip at info@ocgainesville.org.
DOG FINDERS:
If the dog does not have identification on his or her collar, try walking the dog around
the area he or she was found in. An owner could be actively searching the area. Ensure
the dog is leashed and that the leash is secure before walking the dog.
Get the animal scanned for a microchip
Alachua County Animal Resources and Care, The Humane Society of North Central
Florida, and local veterinary practices have microchip scanners available to check the
animal for a microchip and contact the microchip company to get owner contact
information.
Tip: Ask the person scanning/calling the pet if they can also ask the microchip company
for the implant facility, or the facility that originally administered the microchip. This
may assist in tracking down additional contact information for the owner.
Submit a Found Pet Notice on 24Petconnect
24petconnect.com is linked with the Animal Resources and Care database. When you
submit a Found Pet Notice, that report will automatically generate with Animal
Resources and Care.
Alachua County Animal Resources and Care is the public intake facility for Alachua
County and often the first place owners go in search of a missing pet. 24Petconnect will
notify Animal Resources and Care, so you do not need to report found animals directly
to the office in times of Intake Shutdowns. If you are unable to submit a Found Pet
Notice, please notify Animal Resources and Care.
Post on Gainesville Pet Finder on Facebook
With more than 20,000 followers, Gainesville Pet Finder is an easy, efficient way to
spread the word about found pets and look through lost pet posts. The administrator,
Angela, will also share additional helpful tips with you.
Helpful information to include in the post can be the location you found the animal,
when the animal was found, and the best contact information. Of course, you can post a
picture of the animal as well, but we recommend leaving out specific details like the
color of the collar or special markings, things only the actual owner would know.
Create Flyers
You want the flyers to follow the 4 L rule:
Large (as large as possible, including the information on the flyer. It should be
visible from 25 feet away)
Loud (bright, eye catching)
Limited (minimal details)
Legible (easy to find your contact information)
Keep in mind that pet owners may not know the technical terms for colors or patterns,
such as brindle on dogs or gray vs brown tabby cats.
Post flyers around the location you found the animal. If you found a dog, you may find
the owner searching for their dog in that location.
Flyers can also be shared with Alachua County Animal Resources and Care and local
rescues and veterinary practices.
Post and browse on Lost and Found websites
www.24petconnect.com
www.pawboost.com
www.nextdoor.com (not specifically for lost/found pets but can help spread
awareness in the community)
www.lostmykitty.com, www.lostmydoggie.com
www.fidofinder.com
www.petcolovelost.org
www.petfbi.org
Other ways to spread the word
If you live in a neighborhood or apartment complex, check to see if there is an email
group, Facebook Page, or any mass notification system. If you live in a complex, ask the
manager to see if any animals have been reported missing to the office.
Contact local rescues and veterinary practices to see if anyone has reported a missing
animal to their staff. While Animal Resources and Care is the only public intake facility,
adopters or clients may reach out to their veterinarians and local rescues. If you need
contact information for local rescues and veterinary practices, please reach out to
Animal Resources and Care.
If you have a found dog that looks recently groomed or know the dog is a breed that
should be groomed, contact local groomers to see if they recognize the dog.
Reaching out to potential owners
If potential owners reach out, ask them to provide proof of ownership. This can include
specific details about the animals, such as color of the collar or special markings, and
pictures or medical records.
Be accessible! Keep your phone on you, and check Facebook often in case the owner is
trying to reach you.
People with lost pets may use some of the resources listed above, but they may not
know to browse through found animal posts or may not be actively searching depending
on how long the animal has been missing. Explore older lost animal posts, and check for
new posts often.
If after 2 weeks you are unable to locate the owner, please contact Alachua County Animal Resources for
further guidance.
