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      So You've Lost Your Pet

      So You've Lost Your Pet

      The MCHS Mission is to end animal homelessness through education, outreach and adoption, while saving lives and supporting the bond between pets and their families. #LetsBeHumaneTogether®

      If you lose a pet in Montgomery County, your first step should be filing a lost report with the Montgomery County Animal Services and Adoption Center shelter (now located in Derwood) at 240-773-5900 or on Pet Harbor (see below). (Likewise, if you find a pet, you should notify the shelter right away so that the owners can know you have their pet when they call.)


      For information about the shelter, go to http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/asd/lostandfound.html and for more information about animal services, go to http://www.montgomerycountymd.gov/animalservices/about/contact.html.


      Strays from all over the county and beyond are taken to the shelter every day, by Animal Control as well as members of the public. You should visit the shelter as soon as possible, but if you can't go right away, call them and email infomcasac@montgomerycountymd.gov to register your lost report. 

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      If your lost pet has been taken to the shelter, be sure to ask what you will need to bring in order for them to release him/her to you: e.g., they will probably require proof that s/he has a current rabies shot, proof that s/he is your pet, a certain amount of money (check and credit card are okay, ask about yours) to pay for his/her impoundment, board, medical procedures, and fines, and you want to ask what hours you can come - you might need to have an officer present if an officer picked him/her up.


      When they process your lost report, they will search the found reports already on file (and the animals at the shelter), and contact you if they have a match. Shelter staff will match your lost report with a found report (or a pet at the shelter) if they can, but you, the owner of the pet, will always be better able to recognize your own pet, so try to visit the shelter as often as you can during the business hours listed on their website. The shelter is located at 7315 Muncaster Mill Rd., Derwood, 20855. You can find them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/mcasac.


      MCASAC holds stray animals for roughly 5 business days and then they are put up for adoption.

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      In the event that your lost pet has not been taken to - or reported to - the shelter, speed is of the essence as you initiate your search.


      Here is a list of actions you should take, and some helpful websites you will want to consult:

      Facebook

      Facebook has several lost pet pages for our area. Start with: https://facebook.com/pg/MCMDLostPets/posts/


      Contact Microchiper

      For Home Again microchipped pets, call 1-888-466-3242 immediately. They'll inform your vet, clinics, shelters, and rescuers. For other microchip brands, find their contact information online or in your pet's records. Act promptly, as this takes time.

      File Report

      If you lose a pet, file a report and follow what's at the shelter on a daily basis by going to: http://www.petharbor.com/


      Follow these steps to file a report

      These are great ways to keep track of what's been taken in, but please be sure to check in person! Pet sex is sometimes listed wrong, as are descriptions. Pets found DOA and those at the vet will not appear, so having a lost report and visiting the shelter every few days is very important. Also, Pet Harbor doesn't display the found location, so if you see something you think is your lost pet, make a note of the A# and call the shelter to find out where it was found. You can also file a lost report at that website. Try to include a photo and the lost location.


      Other things we strongly suggest you do include:

      1. Use eye-catching posters and flyers in popular spots to advertise your lost items. Get a disposable cell phone for safety when posting contact details.

      2. Reach out to vets and pet stores with photo flyers to spread the word about your lost pet. Many businesses will also post lost reports.

      3. If no sightings, hire Sam with Pure Gold Pet Trackers to help narrow down search locations: https://www.facebook.com/puregoldpettrackers/

      4. Notify your neighborhood listserv, if you have one, and post on Craig's List and Facebook (links below).


      Remember, pets can travel great distances when they are stressed. Be prepared to expand your search:

      If you don't find your lost pet within a couple of days, start checking all the area shelters. Some list their strays on Pet Harbor, others you will have to call or visit. 


      For more ideas, go to:


      Call in a pet tracker

      FYI for anyone with a pet, it's always advisable to have your pets microchipped, even those you don't think will ever get loose, so that the shelter can immediately know who owns them should they ever wind up there. If they wear their microchip ID tag, anyone who finds them can also notify the registry and the owners will be called, as long as you have registered your chip.


      MCMD Lost Pets

      Founded by Robin Siegel, MCMD Lost Pets is a volunteer Group

      Montgomery County animal shelter: 240-773-5900; after hours call 301-279-8000 and for emergencies, call 911

      https://www.facebook.com/MCMDLostPets


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