What should you do if you find a lost cat or dog?
Under the
Responsible Pet Ownership Bylaw 23M2006, any person in possession of a stray dog or cat must notify and turn the animal over to Animal & Bylaw Services by calling 3-1-1. After hours, citizens will be advised to take the animal to a vet clinic, where he will be picked up by Animal & Bylaw Services the next day. We then make every attempt to reunite that animal with his owner before putting him up for adoption.
What should you do if your cat or dog is lost?
As soon as you know your cat or dog is lost, you should:
- Call 3-1-1 (from within Calgary) or 403-268-2489 (from outside Calgary) to file a Lost Animal Report. Continue to update Animal Services on the status of your lost pet by calling 3-1-1 to add to the report as you get more information. This ensures that your lost pet report remains in our system.
- Check if your lost pet has been brought into the Animal Services Centre by frequently checking the listings of impounded cats, impounded dogs, adoptable cats and adoptable dogs on our website. The website is updated every 15 minutes during regular business hours, so check frequently.
- Download the free City of Calgary Pets mobile application so you can check via your mobile device if your pet is showing up on our impounded or adoptable lists.
- Visit the Animal Services Centre at 2201 Portland Street S.E. to see if your lost cat or lost dog is in our facility. It's easier to identify your pet in person than by looking at photos. We are open 10 a.m. – 7 p.m. Monday to Friday and 10 a.m. – 4 p.m. Saturday and Sunday. We are closed on statutory holidays.
Licensed pets find their way home faster
If you have your pets licensed, the chance of them finding their way home is dramatically increased. A licence tag tells people who may find your lost cat or dog that the animal is owned and that they should turn the animal in. Cat and dog licences connect people and pets because they allow us to access important contact information that will help us to reunite you with your animal as soon as possible. For information on how Animal & Bylaw Services can help you locate your lost pet view the Shaw TV Segment on Lost Pets (1.46 mb)
How long will cats and dogs be held at the Animal Services Centre?
Cats and dogs impounded at the Animal Services Centre are held for 10 days if they have identification such as a licence tag, a legible tattoo or a readable microchip with up-to-date contact information. Cats and dogs without identification are held for 4 days. After this hold period, if the cat or dog is unclaimed, it will be put up for adoption. If your cat or dog has been missing for longer than 10 days, you should also check our listings for adoptable cats and adoptable dogs.
What else can you do?
- Double-check with members of your household to ensure no one has your pet or knows where your pet is.
- Do a thorough search of your home. If you have lost a cat or small dog, look carefully through closets and hampers, behind furniture, and into any other small space they could be hiding in.
- Enlist the help of friends and family to extend your search through the neighbourhood. Ask them to carry cell phones, so they can contact you if they find your pet.
- Contact the Calgary Humane Society to see if they have picked up your pet. Call 403-205-4455 or visit their facility at 4455 - 110 Ave S.E. or check their website at www.calgaryhumane.ca.
- Contact neighbours and local vet clinics to ask if they have seen your cat or dog. People often bring stray pets to their vet so make sure the vets in your area know what pet you are looking for and how to reach you.
- Place a "Lost Pet" ad on Shaw Cable TV's website and in local newspapers.
Never give up hope. Your pet may come back to you today or even in a few weeks. Pets have been known to return to their families after weeks of being gone.
