Lost Your Pet? Start Here.

A missing pet can be one of the most stressful experiences you can have. Increase your chances of finding your pet with this simple, step-by-step plan. And remember, for pets on the move, the sooner you get started the better.

Start close, then widen the search
  • Walk and drive your street and adjoining blocks right away.
  • Call your pet’s name, shake a treat bag, and listen—many pets hunker down nearby.
  • Talk to neighbors, letter carriers, landscapers, and delivery drivers as you go.
  • Note where you’ve looked and the times you searched.
 What Love Deserves A black dog with upright ears runs joyfully across a grassy field, tongue out, with green trees and a cloudy sky in the background.

Report to shelters and check in person daily

File a lost report with each shelter and visit them in person every day if you can.

San Marcos Regional Animal Shelter

(serves Buda, Kyle, and San Marcos Animal Control)

750 River Road,
San Marcos, TX 78666

512-805-2655

PAWS Shelter of Central Texas

500 FM 150
East, Kyle, TX 78640

512-268-1611

Austin Animal Shelter

(serves Austin Animal Control)

7201 Levander Loop Bldg. A,
Austin, TX 78702

512-974-2000

Austin Pets Alive!

1156 West Cesar Chavez,
Austin, TX 78703

512-961-6519

Tip: Even if you file online or by phone, in-person visits can catch pets that haven’t been processed or posted yet.

Notify the microchip registry If your pet is microchipped, report them missing immediately so alerts go out and your contact info is verified. Most vet clinics (including Buda Veterinary Care) and shelters can scan a found pet and call you.
Get the word out online Post a clear photo, last-seen location/time, and your phone number. Ask friends and neighbors to share.
Tip: Keep your post consistent across platforms so updates are easy. A fluffy cat and a corgi dog walk side by side on green grass, bathed in warm, golden sunlight with a blurred background. A fluffy brown and white cat with green eyes sits on a wooden bench in sunlight, highlighted by a soft golden glow.

Include large headline (“LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT”), 1–2 clear photos, name, color/markings, sex, last-seen area, and your phone number.
Leave out one unique identifier (e.g., a scar/mark) to verify real finders.

Great places to post:

  • Neighborhood mailbox areas and entrances
  • Community centers and busy intersections

  • Re-walk and re-drive the neighborhood at different times of day.
  • Revisit shelters daily.
  • Refresh and bump your online posts.
  • Keep your phone charged and with you.

Watch for scams:
  • Ask callers to describe your pet—including the detail you purposely left off flyers.
  • Don’t pay or wire money for a “return.”
  • Meet in a public place, at a police station, or veterinary clinic.

  • Keep a collar and ID tag on your pet (even indoor-only pets), with your current phone number.
  • Microchip and keep the registry info up to date (phone, email, address, and a photo).
  • Don’t leave pets outside unattended.
  • Add locks to backyard gates if a latch can be nudged open.
  • Bring pets indoors during thunderstorms and fireworks.
  • Consider trackable collars for your furry escape artist, which have become much smaller over the years! Some people use Apple AirTags on aftermarket AirTag holders for collars, and others go with satellite collars such as the Fi Collar, both of which help a great deal to track your lost pet.

If someone turns in a found pet to us, we’ll scan for a microchip and contact the registered owner right away.