OAS Forms: Lost Animal Form, Found Animal Form
*** DUE TO COVID-19 SHELTER-IN-PLACE ORDER, PLEASE CALL THE SHELTER at (510) 535-5602 FOR ASSISTANCE. DO NOT COME INTO THE SHELTER WITHOUT CALLING FIRST. YOU MAY FIND OTHER TIPS FOR FINDING YOUR LOST PET BELOW. THANK YOU! ***
You may also e-mail the Lost Animal Form or Found Animal Form and a recent photo of the lost or found pet to oas@oaklandnet.com. Please use the subject “lost pet form” or “found pet form” on your e-mail.
Is your pet lost?
First check the Found Animals page. Note however that these photos may be incomplete so you should also follow the steps below.
Other tips for finding your lost pet:
- Make sure your contact information is current with your pet’s microchip company
- Contact all of the animal shelters in and around the area your pet was lost and file a lost animal report with each shelter. Your pet may have traveled or been carried into the jurisdiction of another animal shelter. Here is a Google list of Bay Area animal shelters. Oakland Animal Services’ contact information can be found here
- Post on Nextdoor, Facebook, and Craigslist to spread the word
- Message the Facebook pages of local animal rescues and request that they share your post about your lost pet. Contact these local Facebook groups: Oakland Lost and Found Pets, Point Isabel Dog Owners (PIDO), North Oakland Dog Owners and Oakland Dog Owners Group (ODOG).
- Use the services of these companies (free and paid) where you register your pet as lost or found and receive posters, emails alerts, etc.: PawBoost, Lostmydoggie, Lostmykitty, Petharbor, Finding Rover (uses facial recognition to match lost and found pets), and Missing Pet Partnership (includes helpful and detailed info on finding lost pets, especially cats)
- Place posters in the vicinity where the pet was lost. Include your pet’s color, size, age, gender, and any special markings, as well as the date when your pet was lost. Remember to remove the posters once you have found your pet
- Check with your local veterinarians, as injured pets may have been taken to a vet by a concerned resident
- Notify your neighbors and search the area thoroughly especially in the evenings, since pets become frightened and hide during the day. Door-to-door canvassing may provide leads in finding your lost animal. Leave a contact number in case your animal is found. Enlist the help of children in the area. A reward may generate more interest, but do not list an amount
- Leave out some food and water for your cat and set up a camera to see if your cat is coming by at night to eat. Note however this may attract other animals as well
- Don’t give up too soon. Many animals have been missing for weeks (or even months) before being brought into a shelter. Well-meaning residents may have held your animal for some time before reporting or turning the animal into the shelter
- When you find your pet, be sure to microchip your pet and place an animal license tag or ID tag on your pet’s collar. Always keep your contact information with the microchip company up-to-date
- Oakland Animal Services will microchip animals of Oakland residents for $10 (please note that microchipping services at OAS are currently on hold due to the COVID-19 shelter-in-place).
Did you find an animal?
The law requires that you report any stray dog or cat that you find in Oakland to Oakland Animal Services at 510.535.5602. When reporting, provide a description of the animal along with any identification tag, and submit a Found Animal Report with photo to oas@oaklandnet.com.
Make sure to get the pet scanned for a microchip. Your local shelter or veterinarian can scan pets for microchips. We also recommend placing ads online, through social media (see links above in Lost Animals), and posting flyers in the area where the animal was found.
After a period of 30 days, with proper notification and due diligence in attempting to find the owner, you may formally adopt and register the animal through Oakland Animal Services.
