Lost & Found Pets

Lost & Found Pets

If you are looking for your pet or you have found a lost pet, you have come to the right place! On this page, you will find some tips and resources to help pets get home safely and quickly. You can also view a listing below of all of the animals currently in our shelter. This listing is updated in real time as pets enter our shelter. Be sure to refresh the page if you are revisiting this site. If you see your pet on our animal listing, please call us at 817-561-5495 or EMAIL us. We also try to post all incoming pets on our FACEBOOK page. We have also provided some resources for lost/found pets below.

Before your pet goes missing

Pets with microchips or ID tags are far more likely to be returned to their owners quickly than pets with no collars or traceable ID. Here are some tips to make sure your pet has proper ID to get them home quickly if they should go missing.

  • Microchip your pet! Microchipping is still the #1 form of permanent ID and pets go home 50% more often than pets with no ID!
    • Use a reputable microchip company with a national database, such as 24PetWatch, Home Again, AKC Reunite, or PetLink
    • When your pet gets microchipped, ask if registration is included or if you have to submit the registration yourself and pay an extra fee.
      • If you have to register, your pet will NOT be registered until you pay the fees and submit the proper forms either online or through the mail
    • It is up to you to keep your microchip information updated. Update your information any time ANYTHING changes, especially if you move or change your phone number. Check your information every couple of years to be sure it’s current.
    • Is your pet microchipped but you aren’t sure which chip company? Any shelter or vet clinic can scan your pet and give you the microchip company information. This service is free at any shelter, including MAS
    • Need a microchip for your pet? Call us at 817-561-5495 or EMAIL us! We offer low cost microchip services through 24PetWatch and pricing includes registration!
  • Have your pet wear a collar with ID tags
    • If nothing else, include your phone number on the ID Tag. Be sure it’s your current phone number!
    • A current rabies tag will also work as ID as long as the clinic name and/or phone number is on the tag and the tag is current.
      • Remember, rabies vaccinations are required by state law! May as well have your pet wear the tag.
    • Write your phone number on the inside of the collar with permanent marker if you don’t want to hear the jingle of tags.
  • Spay or neuter your pet! What does this have to do with your pet getting lost? Pets have a tendency to roam when they are looking for a mate. Pets that are “fixed” are less likely to wander away from home.

Pets Currently at MAS

This listing shows all pets currently housed at MAS. If you see your pet in this listing, please call us at 817-561-5495 or EMAIL us. This listing is updated in real time so please check back often. 

Resources for Lost Pets

  • If your pet is microchipped, contact your microchip company to inform them your pet is missing and to make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date
  • Call every animal shelter within a 25 mile radius of where you lost your pet. Give them a complete description including any identifying marks, scars, etc. and give them your contact information. Email them pictures and microchip information if available.
    • If possible, go visit the shelters IN PERSON. You know your pet best!
    • Most shelters have online animal listings that are updated frequently. Check them often.
  • Search and post on every social media site you can find!
    • Facebook lost/found & community pages, Instagram, Nextdoor, Ring, etc.
    • Be sure post at least one clear picture and a general area of where you lost the pet
    • BEWARE of scams! If someone says they have your pet. Ask for proof and NEVER send money in advance, even if you are offering a reward. NEVER go alone to meet anyone that says they have your pet.
      • If you think someone truly has your pet and refuses to give him/her back to you, contact the police. Pets are property in the state of Texas and a finder can be charged with theft if they refuse to release your pet to you.
  • Canvas your neighborhood! Walk the neighborhood, talk to your neighbors, post fliers. Do this during daylight hours and always be aware of your surroundings. NEVER enter anyone’s property, even if you think your pet may be in their yard. Call the police or animal services in your area for assistance.
  • Place your pet’s bedding, an article of your clothing, a favorite toy or two,  or your pet’s litterbox on the front porch. They may use their nose to find their way back home.
  • Post on websites that are dedicated to lost & found pets such as:
  • Check out these pages for more tips, tricks, and resources to get your pet home fast:

Don’t give up! We hope your pet finds their way back to you soon!

Resources for Found Pets

  • When you see a stray pet, the first thing you should do is observe the surrounding area to see if there is an owner nearby, looking for their pet. If not, call your local animal services department and report the stray pet. Have as much information as possible – your location, nearest landmarks, the direction the pet is heading, and a brief description of the pet (color, size, breed if you can identify, etc.). Take a clear picture of the pet if you are able to safely do so.
  • NEVER attempt to chase or capture a stray pet that is unwilling to freely and willingly come to you. This could result in the pet running into traffic, the pet being chased further from it’s home area, the pet being injured or killed, or you getting bitten.
  • NEVER attempt to put an unfamiliar animal into your car, especially if you have children in the vehicle. 
  • If you are able to SAFELY contain the pet, let animal services know that the pet is contained. An Officer will meet you at the location where the pet is found. This is so the Officer can attempt to locate an owner and return the pet home. The Officer can also scan the pet for a microchip. Some shelters will accept stray drop offs. Due to limited staffing at Municipal Animal Services, we can only accept stray surrenders in the field where the pet was found.
  • If you have the pet in your vehicle, which we do not recommend, take a short cruise through the neighborhood. Talk to people that you see outside – neighbors, people walking, waste collection workers, postal service workers, etc. They may know where the pet belongs.
  • Have the pet scanned for a microchip. Any animal shelter or vet clinic should be able to do this, free of charge. MAS Officers can do this in the field.
  • Search and post on every social media site you can find!
    • Facebook community & lost/found pages (there are a ton!), Nextdoor, Ring, Instagram, etc.
  • Search and post on sites dedicated to lost & found pets
  • Turn the animal over to your local Animal Services. Do not remove an animal from it’s home area and take it to a shelter far away, especially in another city or state. Their owner will never find them unless they are microchipped, and even then, it may be impossible for them to recover the pet.
  • Remember, that even if you REALLY love the pet you found, it’s not your pet. Keeping someone else’s pet is against the law and you can be charged with theft. If you are concerned about the pet’s welfare or the person claiming to be the owner of the pet, your best bet is to release the animal to Animal Services. If the pet is not reclaimed, you may be able to legally adopt the pet after stray hold.