Lost and Found Resources and Tips
Animal Aid of Southwestern Michigan understands the hopelessness and helplessness that a pet owner
feels when they have lost an animal and are trying to locate it.  We understand that when an animal gets
loose the priority focus needs to be to locate the lost pet and reunite it with the owner.

We hope you will never need these tips and resources but want them to be on hand and easily accessed
if you do lose your pet.  And please remember to never lose hope, your pet is relying on you to keep
looking for it!  ALWAYS have ID tags on your pet and consider having your pet microchipped.

Numbers To Call:
As soon as you realize your pet is missing you should notify the proper agencies in case someone
has already found your pet.  ALWAYS have ID tags on your pet and consider having your pet microchipped
so that if your pet is found it can be returned to you quickly!  In Berrien County these numbers include:

  • Your local law enforcement/police agency.  Many times when a pet is found the finder will contact the police to see if anyone has reported it missing.  If they have not had a report of your pet being found please make sure they take your name, phone number and a description of your pet in case someone calls after you have made contact.
  • Berrien County Animal Control at 269-471-7531.  If Animal Control is closed and they have an answering machine leave a message with your information and a description of your pet.
  • Humane Society of Southwestern Michigan at 269-927-3303.  Leave a message on the answering machine if they are closed.  You can also email them a picture at hssmnews@sbcglobal.net
  • Animal Aid of Southwestern Michigan at 269-934-7729.  You will receive a recording which will provide you with the current lost and found volunteer.  Contact this volunteer and provide them with information about your missing pet.
  • Contact surrounding area Animal Control facilities and shelters.  People don't always take found pets to the closest animal shelter facility.  Surrounding shelters include Al-Van Humane Society in South Haven, Van Buren County Animal Control in Hartford, and Cass County Animal Control.  If you live near the state line check with Indiana shelters also!
  • Phone calls are great but nothing beats actually going into the shelters and checking to make sure your pet is not there!

Immediate Action To Take:

The quicker you begin the process of looking for your animal the better the chance that it will be found
safe.  Here are some things you should do right away:

  1. Gather a search party.  Call freinds, family, and neighbors to assist you in locating your pet.
  2. Make a poster with a current picture of your pet so that searchers can show the animal they are looking for.  Include more then one phone number on the poster.  Remember to place a note on the poster that asks anyone who has SEEN the animal to please call.  Determining direction of travel and distance travelled is important so you know where to search.   You can use the Best Friends Animal Sanctuary Flyer Maker (free) to make a poster of your missing pet.  Go to http://www.bestfriends.org/nomorehomelesspets/resourcelibrary/flyermaker/flyermaker.cfm
  3. If you don't have a current picture of your pet, go online and see if you can find a picture of an animal that looks "identical" to your pet.  Find an image that matches best and use that image.  Don't assume that everyone is going to know what your breed looks like or that the description you use for your pet will provide the same mental image for someone else.
  4. Distribute posters at area gas stations, business's, intersections, and neighborhoods.  Make sure your mailman, delivery drivers, and paper delivery person have a copy of the poster.  They spend a lot of time in your neighborhood and may have seen your pet.
  5. Run a lost dog ad in your local newspaper and check the paper for people posting found dog ads that might fit the description of your lost pet.  If it sounds anything at all like your lost pet call and check.  People often don't know exactly what they have and describe what they think the pet is.
  6. Don't give up.  We have safely recovered dogs and cats that have been missing for months.
  7. Don't under estimate the distance your pet could have travelled.  We routinely recover lost pets that are miles away from the location they first wandered away.