Lost and Found Pets and Loss Prevention!

Have you lost your pet and don't know what to do or where to turn?

Here is what you can do to maximize your chances of finding your pet quickly and to have him/her safely returned.

• Visit all of the local shelters in person to look for your pet. Remember, you know what your pet looks like; shelter people don't know him!
• Place a lost ad in the Daily Press or other local newspaper. The cost is minimal and sometimes even free depending on which paper source you utilize. Many people who find a pet look for an ad. Keep one of your pet's identifying features to yourself for use only when someone responds to your ad.
• It's a good idea to make up a simple flyer, preferably with a recent photo, of your lost pet. Good places to post and distribute them are animal hospitals, grooming parlors, pet stores and local shelters.
• Ask around! Your neighbors and area workers can be your best friends when you are searching for your lost pet. Great people to ask are your mail carrier, newspaper carrier, meter readers, and most definitely children and neighborhood watch persons.
• Don't limit your shelter visits to only ones in your city. Though rare, it is possible for your animal to make its way to other cities.

After you have FOUND your pet

• Notify shelters and take down flyers so that people looking for your pet can concentrate their efforts on someone else's lost pet.
• Take precautions to prevent your pet from going missing again. See the Loss Prevention section for valuable tips.

Loss Prevention

It's always best to prevent your pets from being lost and prepare in the case they do get lost. Remember, our pets can't tell us where they live. It's up to you to make sure they display proper identification. Here are some tips for all pet owners.

• Make certain your dog or cat wears a collar with a rabies tag, city license or other identification tag at all times. These tags are a lost pet's ticket home. 95% of lost animals wearing tags are returned to their owners. 95% of those who do not wear identification are not. Micro-chipping is also a great option in addition to tags or as an alternative to them. Contact your local veterinarian for information on micro-chipping.
• Take photographs of your pet. If your pet does become lost, photos used in a lost ad, on a flyer, or left at your local shelter can help identify your pet.
• Keep your pet safely confined at all times to your house or fenced yard. If your dog requires more exercise, walk him on a leash. Though the City of Hampton does not have a leash law per se, it is the safest way to ensure your pet stays with you. It's great fun for him and good for your health too! Cats can live long, safe and happy lives completely indoors. With a litter box, toys and a scratching post, they never need to go outside.
• Vary the times your dog is out in his fenced yard. A set routine may help someone know when would be a good time to steal your pet.
• Put a lock on your gate to keep unauthorized persons from entering your yard and removing your dog.
• Don't allow your cat or dog to roam free. In the City of Hampton, law prohibits dogs from roaming free but even for cats it's best to keep them inside so they'll be safe and sound. Dogs should be confined at all times in a fence or in your home. Cats should be confined indoors.

Have you FOUND a pet? Here's what you should do…

• Check the animal for identification, such as tags on his collar or a tattoo on the inside of his thigh or ear. Call phone numbers listed on tags or call your local shelter or vet to help you trace the tag if you need help. Contact your local shelter or vet and make arrangements to have the animal scanned for a microchip. Animals that are micro-chipped can often be quickly returned to their rightful owners.
• Post found flyers in the neighborhood in which the animal was found. Include a brief description of the animal that was found. Be careful to leave out a special identifying piece of information (ex: color of collar or identifying mark) so that you can prevent someone other that the rightful owner from claiming the animal.
• If you cannot or do not wish to house the animal at your home, take the animal to your local animal shelter or contact your local animal control for help. Most people will check their local shelter in search of their pet so really it's the best way to ensure that the animal gets safely home. If the animal is not claimed, he may be adopted to someone else!
• Check the lost and found ads in the classified section of the local newspaper. You may even place a found ad in the newspaper yourself.
• Please don't ignore him. He needs your help before he falls into the wrong hands or is killed or injured in traffic.

My animal has been picked up by Hampton Animal Control, where is my pet?

The City of Hampton does not have its own animal shelter so we partner with the Peninsula SPCA to house our impounded animals. Contact the Peninsula SPCA to redeem your pet at 532 J Clyde Morris Blvd., Newport News, VA 23601. Their phone number is 757-595-1399.