The best steps to take to find your lost pet:
- Check with your neighbors and your neighborhood! Most lost dogs are within 2 miles of the home.
- Put out flyers around your neighborhood or the neighborhood you last saw your pet
- Check to see if your pet has come to LHS as a lost pet by clicking the links listed below:
- If your pet is at the Lynchburg Humane Society, please come immediately. As wonderful as our Center for Pets is, it is not the place for a pet that has a home. We do not charge to reclaim your lost pet. We do incur expenses while housing your dog. It costs about $35/day minimum (if it needs more than routine care, it is more expensive) to care for your pet while it’s with us. If you’d like to donate when you pick up your pet, it is appreciated, but most importantly, we want your pet to return home with you as soon as possible. We do not want a fee to be the barrier to reuniting you with your pet.
If you do not see your pet, keep looking. Call the other shelters in the area. Pets end up here sometimes weeks after they get lost, so never stop looking.
- Please complete this form if you have LOST a pet. This will provide the information we need to contact you if your pet shows up at LHS.
- Check social media sites for lost and found pets. Lynchburg VA- Lost Dogs, Cats, & Pets and Lost & Found Pets of the Lynchburg Area are great places to start.
- Place posters at busy intersections. Posters should be GIANT and FLORESCENT COLORS; be brief and to the point and create a visual image. The word “Lost”, adding a photo of your pet and your phone number is all you need for an effective poster. Post around town at veterinary clinics, schools, grocery and convenience stores, and anywhere else you think might make a difference. Click here for a lost flyer template to use.
Tips for finding your lost pet:
- Lost pets may hide in fear. Do not count on “here kitty, kitty” or treats to get them to come to you. Get down and dirty, search all possible hiding places outside, look under sheds, decks, houses, etc. Most animals are found close to home. Talk to your neighbors and, after asking permission, search at your neighbor’s place. Put out food, water, and your pet’s bedding, your cat’s litter box (something with their scent on in) in hopes the dog or cat will return home for food.
- For shy dogs and cats, set a humane trap near the point of escape (we have humane traps available for rent); call all the shelters around where you live and visit them regularly.
- Contact and leave a description with your mail carrier, newspaper carrier, garbage truck drivers, and local landscapers.