HSMC: 2515 14TH STREET W., BRADENTON GET DIRECTIONS CONTACT HOURS
CLINIC: 2415 14TH STREET W., BRADENTON GET DIRECTIONS CONTACT HOURS
ADOPTION CENTER: 941-747-8808 X 313

Lost and Found

If you have lost your pet OR found a lost pet, act quickly! The first 24 hours can make all the difference in finding your pet or pet’s owner.

First, call Manatee County Animal Welfare
to report details at 941-742-5933.

Next, contact area shelters to file a report with them:

  1. Humane Society of Manatee County at 941-747-8808 ext. 314
  2. Honor Animal Rescue at 941-306-5863
  3. Click here to view Animal Welfare (Animal Services) impounded animals. Click here or here to view HSMC’s animals.
  4. Contact Lost and Found Pets 941
  5. Click here for a detailed list of  local shelters and rescues

If you don’t see your pet, keep looking! Pets end up in shelters sometimes weeks after they are lost so never stop looking. Keep in mind what some might call a “lab mix” you may call a “shepherd mix,” so it is always best to visit shelters regularly and not just go on descriptions or website photos alone.

Tips for finding a lost pet

  • Lost pets may hide in fear. Search all possible hiding places outside, look under sheds, decks, houses, etc. Most animals are found close to home. Talk to your neighbors and, after asking permission, search at your neighbors. Put out food and water in hopes the dog or cat will return home for food.
  • Call area shelters to make a report and/or to see if your pet has been impounded.
  • Place posters within a 2-mile radius from where the animal was lost and at busy intersections. Posters should be large and bright colors; be brief and to the point and create a visual image. Try Lost, a photo, and your number. Post around town at veterinary clinics, schools, grocery and convenience stores, and anywhere else you think might make a difference. It is always a good idea to leave off one distinguishing feature so you can confirm that this is your lost pet with the person who might have found them.
  • Post photos and information about where your pet was last seen on Facebook, Craigslist, Pinterest, etc.
  • For shy dogs and cats, set a humane trap near the point of escape. (HSMC has humane traps available for rent); Call all the shelters around where you live and visit them regularly.
  • Contact and leave a description with your mail carrier, newspaper carrier, garbage truck drivers, and local landscapers.

Tips if you have found a pet

  • Call area animal shelters and report that you found a lost pet. Give a thorough description and you will be contacted if someone calls reporting a lost pet with the same description.
  • Knock on doors of homes near where you found the animal to ask if they know who the animal belongs to.
  • Have the animal scanned for a microchip at any nearby veterinary office, HSMC, or Animal Services which may lead to the owner’s information.
  • Put up flyers in your neighborhood and surrounding areas to let the person looking know that you found their lost pet.
  • Post photos and information on where you found the animal on Facebook, Craigslist, Pinterest, etc.
  • If you find that no one has responded to these efforts after a few days you can then take the pet down to a local shelter and turn it in as a stray.
  • If someone contacts you claiming to be the owner of the dog or cat, be sure you ask for evidence of ownership, including a picture, or have them identify specific information that only an owner would know. This could be an unusual feature, tattoo, or something that isn’t visible in the picture.