Lost and found pets

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! ***

Fill out the form and bring it with a recent photo of the animal to the shelter during open hours.   You may also e-mail the form and picture to oas@oaklandnet.com .  Please use the subject “lost pet form” or “found pet form” on your e-mail.  It is imperative that you also come to the shelter and look in the kennels for your lost pet.

Is your pet lost?

If you’ve lost your pet in or around Oakland, come during open hours to the Oakland Animal Services shelter at 1101 29th Ave to fill out a lost animal report and look for your animal.

Also check the Found Animals page. (These photos may be incomplete so come to the shelter rather than solely relying on this page.)

Other tips for finding your lost pet:

• Visit 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. Google list of Bay Area animal shelters The Oakland Animal Shelter is located at 29th Ave, see directions and open hours.
  • Visit the shelter frequently, at least 2-3 times a week, since holding periods for strays vary from 3 to 7 days.
  • Fill out the OAS LOST ANIMAL FORM – You can download this form, complete and bring to OAS with a recent photo of your lost pet. You may also e-mail the form and picture to oas@oaklandnet.com .  Please use the subject “lost pet form” or “found pet form” on your e-mail.
• Make sure your contact information is current with your pet’s microchip company.
• Post on Nextdoor, Facebook, and Craigslist to spread the word about your lost pet
  • Message the Facebook pages of local animal rescues and request that they share your post about your lost pet; also contact these other local Facebook groups/pages: East Bay SPCA, Oakland Lost and Found Pets, Point Isabel Dog Owners (PIDO), North Oakland Dog Owners and Oakland Dog Owners Group (ODOG).
  • Use PawBoost and other social networking services to get the word out about your pet.
• Use the services of these companies (free and paid) where you register your pet as lost or found and receive posters, emails alerts, etc.:  www.lostmydoggie.com,  www.lostmykitty.com, www.petharbor.com, www.findingrover.com (uses facial recognition to match lost and found pets), and www.missingpetpartnership.org (includes helpful and detailed info on finding lost pets, especially cats).
• Visit the shelter at least once a week. Many animals have been missing for weeks (or even months) before being rescued by animal control officers. Well-meaning residents may have held your animal for some time before reporting or turning the animal into the shelter.
• Place posters in the vicinity where the pet was lost. Include your pet’s sex, age, weight, breed color and special markings. Include the date when your pet was lost. When describing your pet, leave out one identifying characteristic and ask the person who finds your pet to describe the animal to prove that the person actually has your pet.
• Check with your local veterinarians, as injured pets may have been taken to a vet by a concerned resident or animal control officer. Check the shelter’s list of animals under veterinary care.
• Notify your neighbors and search the area thoroughly (especially 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.
• When you find your pet, please have him/her microchipped and place an animal license tag or ID tag on your pet’s collar. Oakland Animal Services will microchip animals of Oakland residents for $10.

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 or in person at 1101 29th Ave (see open hours). When reporting, provide a description of the animal along with any identification tag, and submit a Found Animal Report. Download this form, complete and bring to OAS.

If you decide to keep the animal in your home, we still recommend bringing it to Oakland Animal Services or a veterinarian to scan for a microchip. 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.