I Lost An Animal
Is Your Pet Lost?
A lost pet can be a frightening experience for any pet parent. Immediate action is crucial, but where do you start? Follow the steps below for the best chance of a reunion.
What to Do Immediately After Your Pet Goes Missing
Walk the neighborhood: Many people who find lost pets assume the animal has been abandoned, especially if it is not wearing ID tags. You need to try to reach the people who are most likely to find your pet! Most lost pets are found within a 10-block radius of where they were lost. Take a walk around the immediate area and speak to any neighbors, postal service workers, landscapers, or anyone who may have seen your lost pet. You know your pet best, so look in areas that your pet may have been interested in or comfortable hiding in. Saturate this area with flyers that include:
- A photo
- Description (breed, color, sex, identifying features or markings)
- Date lost
- Major intersection closest to where animal was lost
- Your phone number
Share their scent: Put a couple of your pet's favorite items near the most common entry ways into your home. The front door and the door into your yard would be the best locations. You can include items like their favorite bed, blanket, toys, their litterbox (if cat) and any other items they use frequently. Their scents may help them find their way home.
Next Steps
Make sure your pet’s microchip information is updated: If a finder takes your missing pet to be scanned for a microchip, you want to make sure that all the information is correct so that you will be contacted immediately.
Upload and search your pet on lost websites:
Use the sharing features on Petco Love Lost to distribute your lost pet listing on other social media outlets like Facebook, Craigslist, and Nextdoor. Many counties and cities have “Lost and Found Pets” or “What’s Happening” Facebook pages. These pages are a great resource for getting your pet seen.
Check with your local animal services, animal control, animal shelters, and veterinary clinics: Contact all the animal controls and animal shelters within 20 miles of where your pet was lost. An in-person trip is preferable so you can look and see if your pet is in their care. Many organizations allow you to place a lost report with them, where you can leave a photo of your pet and your contact information.
Local Animal Control Agencies
Aurora Animal Control
600 S. River Street, Aurora, IL 60506
630-256-3630
adopt@aurora.il.us
Cook County Animal Control
10220 S 76th Ave #251, Bridgeview, IL 60455
708-974-6140
DuPage County Animal Services
120 N. County Farm Road, Wheaton, IL 60187
630-407-2800
animalservices@dupageco.org
Kane County Animal Control
4060 Keslinger Road, Geneva, IL 60134
630-232-3555
animalcontrol@co.kane.il.us
Kendall County Animal Control
802 John Street, Yorkville, IL 60560
630-553-9256
animals@co.kendall.il.us
Will County Animal Control
1200 S. Cedar Road, #1D, New Lenox, IL 60451
815-462-5633
acontrol@willcountyillinois.com
Don’t Give Up!
Many animals are returned to their owners within a few days of being lost. However, it may take several weeks or months to find a lost pet! This is especially true for cats and animals not wearing identification.