Unfortunately, there are a lot of both lost and stray animals in the Mid South. Please consider the animal you have found, first as lost and not stray. Below are a list of steps that need to be taken to ensure that the found animal does not have someone looking it. If, and only if, steps are taken to find the owners, and no one comes forward for the animal, will we agree to help. In order for us to help find a suitable home for the animal, the finder must foster until adoption. You can find our foster application and info on our foster program here.
Check for a Microchip. If the animal is not wearing a tag containing the guardian’s contact information, a veterinary clinic or animal shelter can scan the animal for a microchip. Call in advance of your visit to check if an appointment is necessary and if there are costs for this service (most facilities offer this service free of charge for stray or lost animals).
Post Listings Online. Post information about the lost animal on: Facebook, Lost and Found Pets of the Midsouth, NextDoor, Craigslist. If you are contacted about the pet, request proof of ownership (i.e. photos, vet records, description of the pet, type of collar the pet was wearing, etc.).
Call Around. Call local shelters, veterinary clinics and pet stores to alert them of the found dog or cat.
Post Flyers. Distribute flyers in a large radius of where the animal was found as he may have roamed far from home before being found. If you are unsure if the animal is lost or a stray, post “Found Dog/Cat” with bold letters and a short, vague description to ensure the correct guardian has been located. Post flyers in local supermarkets, coffee houses, dog parks, bus stops, veterinary offices, and animal shelters, including your local city pound.
Advertise. Place an ad in a local newspaper and post on social media pages to spread the word about the lost pet.
Report the Lost Animal to Your Local City Shelter. If you found a lost pet, chances are good that someone is looking for him. Let your city or municipal shelter know the location where the animal was found as well as any other details you can provide and provide a photograph. If you are able to foster the pet until he is reunited with his owner, ask what the protocol is for this. For example, you may be able to post a flyer at the facility or sign paperwork to keep the pet in your home in lieu of holding the animal at the facility and exposing him to disease, or put him at risk of euthanasia.
In Memphis: found pets are often taken to Memphis Animal Services- should you find an animal and choose to take them there please know that this is a high kill shelter. Contact MAS at 901.636.7297 or MAS@memphistn.gov
These pups were all saved from the streets of Memphis
because of fostering.
