Lost And Found Pets
Pasco County Animal Services knows that a pet is a member of the family. Losing your pet can be a scary time not only for your pet but for everyone involved. Our organization is dedicated to helping you find your lost pet and helping reunite families in times of need.
Please utilize the below techniques and reference the many resources on this page. These combined efforts will give you and your pet the best chance of finding each other again.
Visit 24PetConnect.com to find a lost pet.
Lost Pets
You can file a Lost Pet report here: Lost Animal Request Form
Found Pets
It can be easy to assume a stray dog has been abandoned. However, that's not always the case! There are many ways you can try to find the owner of a lost dog.
Online Pet License Search
Pasco County Animal Services has a program for stray animals called Finder to Foster. This program allows the finder of the animal to house the pet in their home during the legal stray hold time. With this program, you bring the animal to our shelter when you find it so we can take a photo and post it to our website in search of the owner. If the owner is not found after the legal hold time is up, you can return the dog to us to be placed up for adoption, or you may also choose to adopt the animal after it has been medically cleared and spayed or neutered. This program provides a safe space for the animal in your home during their hold time and prevents stress related to the shelter environment.
Found Animal Request
You can file a Found Animal report here: Found Animal Request Form
If you've found a stray, healthy cat, we encourage you to simply leave it be!
Have you found a cat or kitten?
Spring and summer starts our community kitten season. Between March and October, hundreds of new kittens are born in Pasco County. In most cases, those kittens are not truly abandoned. Pasco County does not have a leash law for cats, meaning they can roam free. This also means Pasco County Animal Control does not pick up stray cats in the community, nor do we accept stray cats at the shelter. When you find a kitten, you usually don't have to intervene. Just 'Leave Them Be' for mom to return and continue caring for them.
Helpful Links:
Please utilize the below techniques and reference the many resources on this page. These combined efforts will give you and your pet the best chance of finding each other again.
Visit 24PetConnect.com to find a lost pet.
If you have contained a stray pet or are the owner of a lost animal and would like an update on your active lost pet case within our system, you can contact our Pet Reunification Specialist, Carey King-Agin directly at (813) 929-1212 ext. 1432 between the hours of 8am-5pm Monday-Friday.
Please note our Pet Reunification Specialist will only speak on cases where the animal is already contained by either the finder or Animal Control. In addition, Pet Reunification will not discuss questions regarding community cats. Please see below if you are searching for information regarding feral, or community cats.
Lost Pets
- Act fast! The best chance to find your pet is within the first 48 hours after they go missing. Take immediate action and seek help from your family, friends, neighbors, and community.
- Check within your area! Although your pet may be at a shelter, it was most likely found by one of your neighbors. Hang up posters in your area and check-in with homes near yours.
- Utilize social media! Stray pets are found by citizens every day, and many people use social media to help find the owners. The back of this form has many websites you can use to help find your lost pet.
- Check your local shelters - plural is key! Although you may have one main animal shelter in your area, other citizens may feel more comfortable taking a stray pet to a shelter or rescue they know.
- Make sure your contact information is up to date! If your pet has a microchip, make sure your phone number and address are accurate. Also, call your veterinarian to ensure they have your latest information.
- Don't give up. Animal shelters see cases every year where animals have been missing for days, weeks, or even years. Pasco County Animal Services is here to help you try and find your missing family member.
You can file a Lost Pet report here: Lost Animal Request Form
Found Pets
It can be easy to assume a stray dog has been abandoned. However, that's not always the case! There are many ways you can try to find the owner of a lost dog.
- Hang flyers or posters in the area with a photo of the dog and your contact information.
- Walk the dog around the neighborhood to see if anyone is missing a pet. Many lost dogs are not far from home!
- Post the dog's photo to social media pages or groups and websites that focus on lost pets.
- Take the dog to a local shelter or vet clinic to be scanned for a microchip.
Online Pet License Search
Pasco County Animal Services has a program for stray animals called Finder to Foster. This program allows the finder of the animal to house the pet in their home during the legal stray hold time. With this program, you bring the animal to our shelter when you find it so we can take a photo and post it to our website in search of the owner. If the owner is not found after the legal hold time is up, you can return the dog to us to be placed up for adoption, or you may also choose to adopt the animal after it has been medically cleared and spayed or neutered. This program provides a safe space for the animal in your home during their hold time and prevents stress related to the shelter environment.
Found Animal Request
You can file a Found Animal report here: Found Animal Request Form
If you've found a stray, healthy cat, we encourage you to simply leave it be!
Have you found a cat or kitten?
Spring and summer starts our community kitten season. Between March and October, hundreds of new kittens are born in Pasco County. In most cases, those kittens are not truly abandoned. Pasco County does not have a leash law for cats, meaning they can roam free. This also means Pasco County Animal Control does not pick up stray cats in the community, nor do we accept stray cats at the shelter. When you find a kitten, you usually don't have to intervene. Just 'Leave Them Be' for mom to return and continue caring for them.
Helpful Links:
- English: I Found Kittens Outside, What Do I Do? | ASPCA
- Spanish: Encontré Unos Gatitos Afuera, ¿Qué Hago? | ASPCA
FAQ's
Kittens under 8 weeks of age or under 2 pounds are too young to be in a shelter environment. They are not old enough to be vaccinated for diseases that older cats can more easily fight off. Stress while in the shelter is another factor that can have a negative impact on these babies.
Interested in becoming a foster for a litter in need? Check out our Foster Program page for more information.
Interested in becoming a foster for a litter in need? Check out our Foster Program page for more information.
First, wait and see if mom returns. It is in our nature to want to help these fragile felines; however, in many cases, mom isn't too far away. If you don't see the mother cat for 8 consecutive hours, then you can step in and care for the kittens until they are old enough to find homes. These newborn felines are too young to stay in a shelter environment, and shelters are often too overcrowded to accommodate these new additions.
If mom has not returned after 8 consecutive hours, then you can step in and care for the kittens. Click below for a suggested supply list of kitten fostering needs. The shelter might be able to provide a starter kit, depending on availability. Kittens should be fostered until they are 8 weeks old or 2 pounds. Then they they can be spayed or neutered and rehomed.
Check out our SNIP Low-Income Spay & Neuter and SNIP Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return (TNVR) programs for more information.
Check out our SNIP Low-Income Spay & Neuter and SNIP Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return (TNVR) programs for more information.
Thank you for considering fostering! You are a crucial part in young kittens' development. Check out the Kitten Lady for instructional videos, assessment tools and lists of essential and suggested supplies for fostering.
Kittens need a safe, quiet place to grow. Once they are 8 weeks or 2 pounds, they can be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and rehomed
Kittens need a safe, quiet place to grow. Once they are 8 weeks or 2 pounds, they can be spayed or neutered, vaccinated and rehomed
Perfect! Let mom continue caring for her kittens. Mother cats are the best option for raising feline babies, and separating them is more stressful for both the kittens and their mother.
When the kittens are at least 3 pounds, you can participate in our SNIP Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return (TNVR) Program.
When the kittens are at least 3 pounds, you can participate in our SNIP Trap, Neuter, Vaccinate, Return (TNVR) Program.
For information about humane deterrents for community/feral cats, check out this article from Best Friends Animal Society.
