If you are wondering what to do if your pet is lost, start here: search the immediate area right away, report your pet to your local animal services (in Toronto, call 311 or 416-338-PAWS), make sure your microchip registry has your current phone number, and share a poster with a clear photo.
Panic is normal, and it makes it hard to think in order. This guide puts the steps in order: the first hour, the first day and the first week, and then what you can set up today so you are ready if it ever happens.
The first hour: search close and ask around
- Search your home first. Cats especially hide in closets, under beds, behind appliances and in garages.
- Walk the immediate area. Go slowly, call your pet's name calmly, and bring a treat bag or a toy that makes noise. Check under porches, decks and parked cars.
- Tell your neighbours. Ask them to check sheds, garages and cameras. Doorbell and driveway cameras can show which way your pet went.
- Leave something familiar outside. A worn piece of clothing or your pet's bed by the door can help.
- Get a clear, recent photo ready. You will need it for every report and poster.
What to do if your pet is lost: the first day
Report your pet to animal services. In Toronto, the City says to contact Toronto Animal Services at 416-338-PAWS (7297) or 311 to file a lost animal report, and to have your pet's description, licence number, microchip number and a photo ready.
- Check the microchip registry. The AVMA says the registry linked to your pet's chip is the one shelters and vets will search, so log in and make sure your phone number and address are current. If you do not know which registry it is, AAHA's universal microchip lookup or your vet can help.
- Call local shelters and vet clinics. Found pets are often brought to the nearest clinic to be scanned for a chip. Toronto's page also lists Toronto Animal Services shelters and the Toronto Humane Society as places to check.
- Look at the found animals listings. Toronto keeps an online list of strays found in the last 14 days.
- Put up posters. The City suggests vet offices, shelters, grocery stores and community boards.
- Post online. Local lost and found pet groups and neighbourhood apps reach people nearby quickly.
The two calls that matter most on day one: your local animal services, and your microchip registry to confirm your phone number is right.
The first week: keep the search visible
- Visit shelters in person every day or two. Descriptions over the phone miss things.
- Widen your poster area, and replace posters that rain has ruined.
- Repost online with the date and area last seen.
- Check found pet listings daily.
- Keep your phone on and answer unknown numbers.
Be careful with anyone who asks for money before returning a pet, or who will not send a photo. Meet in a public place, and bring someone with you.
Outside Toronto, or in the United States
The steps are the same; the phone numbers change. Look up your city or county animal services, your local humane society or SPCA, and nearby vet clinics. You can find clinics near you on the PetGrid vet directory, for example vets in Toronto.
Make a poster and a lost page in minutes
The free PetGrid app has a lost mode that works with any vet. You turn it on for your pet, and it makes a public page and a poster (PDF) with your pet's photo, what they look like, and where and when you last saw them, ready to print and share.
- You choose what it shows: the name, phone or email to contact, and whether your pet is microchipped.
- It never shows your address, your pet's records or the microchip number.
- It works for 60 days, and you can tap that your pet is home, or turn it off, at any time.
- You can see each time the page was opened.
The lost pets questions and the privacy page explain more.
What to set up today, before anything happens
- Microchip and register it. Ask your vet about a microchip, then register it and keep your details current.
- License your pet. In Toronto, all dogs and cats must be licensed and wear a tag, renewed every year. The City says a licence helps lost pets get home faster.
- Collar and ID tag. A tag with your phone number is the fastest way for a neighbour to call you.
- Recent photos. Keep a few clear photos from different angles, including any markings.
- Records in one place. Keep your pet's photo, description, microchip number and vaccines together, so you can file a report in minutes. Our pet emergency kit checklist covers the rest.
Questions people ask
Who do I call if my pet is lost in Toronto?
Call Toronto Animal Services at 416-338-PAWS (7297) or 311 to file a lost animal report. Have your pet's description, licence number, microchip number and a photo ready. Also call nearby vet clinics and shelters.
How do I find out which microchip registry my pet is in?
Ask your vet, who can scan the chip and look it up, or use AAHA's universal pet microchip lookup online. Then log in to that registry and check your phone number and address.
Where should I look for a lost cat?
Start close to home, including inside it, since frightened cats tend to hide rather than travel. Search under decks, in sheds and garages, and ask neighbours to check theirs. Quiet times like dusk and dawn are easier for listening.
Should I put my address on a lost pet poster?
No. A phone number or email is enough for people to reach you. The PetGrid lost mode poster never shows your address or your pet's microchip number.
What should I do if I find a lost pet?
Check for an ID tag, then take the pet to a vet clinic or shelter to be scanned for a microchip, or call your local animal services. In Toronto, call 311.
The short version
If your pet is lost: search close, report to animal services, confirm your microchip details, and get a poster out the same day. Then keep going, every day, until your pet is home.
Setting up your pet's photo, description and microchip number now makes that first hour faster. The PetGrid app is free for pet owners and has lost mode built in.
Keep your pet's records, vaccines and visits in one safe place. The PetGrid app is free for pet owners, with or without a clinic.
Get the free PetGrid appSources
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