Humane League of Lancaster County, The Best Place to Find a Best Friend


Lost and Found:

The shelter is the only facility in Lancaster County which accepts stray pets, from cats and dogs to ferrets and chickens. Lost reports are held on file for 6 months, and checked against reports of found animals and the incoming stray animals.

Lost Dog? [ More ] Lost Cat? [ More ] Websites [ More ]

For more information, contact:

Lost Cat: 717-393-6551 ext. 303 or email: lostcat@humaneleague.com

Lost Dog: 717-393-6551 ext. 301 or email: lostdog@humaneleague.com

Below is a sample of the report we put on file when you contact us. Please provide all of this information so we can better help you find you missing pet.

LOST REPORT

 

Breed:__________________     Date Lost: ____/____/____

Color:__________________      Area Lost (township/boro):__________________

Collar/ID:____________  Pet Name:________________ Age: ________

Details/Features:                                                                         Spayed/Neutered?:________

                                                                                                        Declawed:_________(for cats, yes or no)

                                                                                                        Eye Color:_________

                                                                                                        Ears:_________

                                                                                                        Coat Length:_________

                                                                                                        Tail:_________

                                                                                                       Small     Medium     Large

                                                                                                       weight if known:________

 

Owners Name:_____________________________________________

Address:____________________________________________

Phone:________________Alternate Number:________________

I

LOST DOG?

The following are just a few pointers to get the search for your missing friend started…

1. If you haven't done so already, please fill out a lost dog card at the front office. Your card will be kept on display for at least a month, then kept in a book for another two months. (Don’t forget to let us know if you locate your dog after filing a report with us!)

2. Pick up a copy of our lost dog poster, or make one of your own at home whether you have a picture of your dog or not. Keep in mind that the most important aspect of your poster will be that it catches the eye of the person having information about your lost dog. Print out at least 100 copies of your sign and start posting!!! …It is very important that this be your next step. You need to get the word out as fast as possible. Your dog, or the person that now has your dog could be on the move.

3. As soon as you can, visit neighboring shelters and call animal control officers/ organizations relating to dogs in and out of county. There is always a possibility that someone, after finding your dog, traveled a great distance to his/her home or local shelter…in other words, don’t hold off on calling just because the shelter seems far away. Within 48 hours, your dog could be adopted out or euthanized at a shelter out of this county.

4. Place an ad in your local newspapers, running them for as long as the papers allow. Make sure to check the papers as well for anyone reporting a found dog. Keep in mind you want to leave the descriptions of your dog as brief as possible. You don’t want someone to decide not to call you because one feature wasn’t quite exact. Be persistent with checking, people have found their pets weeks after they disappeared by continuing to run their ad.

5. Make a point to meet and speak with some of the people that regularly work in your neighborhood. Examples are: postal workers,(they see dogs in windows, in back yards, etc) garbage collectors, (they catch dogs eating out of bags in the wee hours of the morning) meter readers, newspaper delivery people, construction workers, utility repairmen, and anyone else you see outside on a regular basis. Give these people a copy of your poster or picture. If you have a computer, make small copies or business cards so that they can keep them handy while on the job.

6. Mail your sign or information to the surrounding vets. It is possible that someone has already called them with a found report OR that your dog was brought in by ORCA or a very nice person that found him/her injured on the road.

7. Don’t forget to change your answering machine message to include an alternate phone number for where you can be reached when you are not there to answer the phone. If you do not have another # change the message expressing that you are interested in hearing information in regards to your lost dog. You don’t want someone to give up calling because you weren’t there to pick up or for them to assume that you already have your dog back.

If you don’t have and answering machine, get one, or leave multiple #'s with people and on your posters.

PLEASE VISIT US REGULARLY!!!
We may label your dog as mix of a different breed than you would or interpret patterns and/or colors differently than stated on your report. The best eyes are yours when it comes to identifying your pet.

LOST CAT?

FIRST THINGS FIRST: Are you sure your cat is not lodged behind the dryer? Less specifically, have you checked every possible nook and cranny of your home and areas surrounding your home? So many times, we have done follow-ups on lost reports only to hear the stories of "lost" cats being found somewhere in the house days after the search began. If you have looked already, re- check the home and then proceed.

1. If you haven't done so already, please fill out a lost cat card at the front office. Your card will be kept on display for at least a month, then kept in a book for another two months. (Don’t forget to let us know if you locate your cat after filing a report with us!)

2. Pick up a copy of our lost cat poster, or make one of your own at home whether you have a picture of your cat or not. Keep in mind that the most important aspect of your poster will be that it catches the eye of the person having information about your lost cat. Print out at least 100 copies of your sign and start posting!!! It is very important that this be your next step. Your cat, or the person that found your cat could be on the move.

3. As soon as you can, visit neighboring shelters and call the police or organizations that are associated with felines in and out of this county. There is always a possibility that someone, after finding your cat, traveled a great distance to his/her home or local shelter…in other words, don’t hold off on calling just because the shelter or organization seems far away. In the state of Pennsylvania, there are no laws requiring an organization to hold your cat for any given time before adopting him/her out or even euthanizing him/her for ANY reason. This applies to cats even if they have a sign of previous ownership.(Examples are flea collar, declawed, neutered, etc.)

4. Place an ad in your local newspapers, running them for as long as they allow. Make sure to check the paper as well for anyone reporting a found cat in your area. Keep in mind that you want to leave the physical description as brief as possible. You don’t want someone to assume the cat that has been visiting his or her house is not yours because one specific feature is not exact. Be persistent with checking. People have found their pets weeks after they have disappeared by continuing to run their ad.

5. Make a point to meet and speak with your neighbors. MANY people feed stray or feral cats and the first thing your straying cat is going to be looking for, is a place to hide, and then a place to eat. Try to get a picture of your cat copied onto your missing cat poster, or just copied and handed out to those that live around you.

6. Mail or hand deliver your posters to the vets in Lancaster county, if not all of them, the ones within 20 miles of your house. It is possible that someone has already called them with a found report OR that your cat has been injured and brought in to the clinic by ORCA or just a nice person.

7. After posting signs, don’t forget to change your answering machine message to include an alternate phone number for where you can be reached when you are not there to answer the phone. If you do not have another #, change the message expressing that you are interested in hearing information in regards to your lost cat. You don’t want someone to give up calling because you weren’t there to pick up or for them to assume that you already have your cat back.

PLEASE VISIT US REGULARLY!
The Humane League is currently receiving over 6,897cats per year! This means there are over 20 cats brought in EACH DAY!!! We try our best to check the incoming strays against the lost reports, but we are not perfect, especially when things are hectic. Also, it would really help us to find your cat if we have a picture. We often mark cats as a different color or breed than you would think. If there is a picture to look at, we can be sure we have your cat if he/she comes in.

Websites:

Here are some pretty good web sites that can aid you in your search…

www.petfinder.com This site is a resource page giving you information on rescues in your area, shelters, as well as a place to list your dog as missing/check the found pet listings.

www.dogfind.com Search and submit dogs, dog find support, and other resources.

www.findfido.com File a report / search reports, message board…

www.pets911.com Lost and found, shelters and other resources, various information on pets

www.humaneleague.com On our website, you can print out a copy of our lost dog poster, as well as view all the information in this packet on the web.

www.petrescue.com/library/find-pet.htm More tips on locating lost cats and ways to prevent this from happening again

www.thecatsite.com/cat_care/care.php?a=lost Helpful hints and information about what to do in various situations

Important Info:
Shelter Hours | FAQ's | History | Membership Drive | Satellite Adoption Site |
Senior Citizen Adoption Program | Board of Directors | Adoption Process | Adoption Fees |
Contact a Staff Member
| Dog Adoption Application | Cat Adoption Application | Directions to Shelter |
Pet Friendly Guide for Renters | Employment Opportunities | Donation Form |
Humane League Myths
|

Services Provided:
Open Admission Animal Shelter | Animal Abuse Investigation & Law Enforcement |
Adoption Services (PHOTOS) | Cremation Services | Foster Care Program | Educational Programs |
Working with Rescue Groups | Cruelty and Neglect to Animals (To report cruelty call (717) 393-6551)

 

The Humane League of Lancaster County is an independent non-profit organization for the prevention of cruelty
to animals and the care of stray and unwanted animals. We are a 501(c)3 IRS Approved Charity.

2195 Lincoln Highway East, Lancaster, PA 17602
(717) 393- 6551 | Fax (717) 295-1391 | E-mail: info@humaneleague.com

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