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:

Check for your pet at the Forsyth County Animal Shelter:

Walk the neighborhood: 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. Most pets are found close to home.

Share their scent: Put a couple of your pet’s favorite items near the most common entryways 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:

1. Search for your lost dog or cat on Petco Love Lost: We have partnered with Petco Love Lost to easily help search the national lost and found database and create a searchable/shareable alert for your missing pet. Upload a picture of your pet or search by location. Powered by facial recognition technology, Petco Love Lost helps match found animals to reported lost pets nationwide. Visit Petco Love Lost and search now!

If you haven’t done so already, be sure to register your pet on Petco Love Lost to do things like create a Lost listing that can be shared and print out premade fliers. You can also receive fliers via text message or email.

• Use the sharing features on Petco Love Lost to distribute your lost pet listing on other social media outlets like Facebook, Craigslist, and Nextdoor.

• 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.

• Check with your local animal services, animal control, and animal shelters: Call to see if your missing pet is at one of these locations. 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.

For animals lost in Forsyth County, please check https://forsyth.cc/AnimalShelter/lost_found

• Continue to spread the word about your missing pet: Make sure any posters or fliers made are large and bright with only relevant information on them. Place in high-traffic areas and in the vicinity of where your lost pet went missing.

• Don’t give up! Finding a lost pet can take time. Remember to regularly check websites that you have posted your lost pet on and make updates as needed. New lost and found pets are added regularly to Petco Love Lost and to your local shelters.

We hope you find your missing pet quickly. Listed below are several suggestions & resources designed to help you.

• ​Thoroughly search your property and neighborhood on foot. 
• Check Forsyth County Animal Control’s current lost/found listings & post your pet.
• Visit WXII Pets to post & search for lost pets.
• Post your lost pet to PawBoost.com
• Post your lost pet on Petco Love Lost
• Create a lost pet flyer. Post your flyers in the area where the pet was lost.
• Facebook options:
  • WXII12 Pets or email pets@wxii12.com
  • Lost & Found Pets of Winston-Salem, NC
  • LOST & FOUND – GUILFORD, FORSYTH PETS
  • Lost and Found Animals in Yadkin, Surry, Forsyth, and Wilkes Counties
  • Lost & Found Dogs – North Carolina
  • Lost & Found Pets of North Carolina

Alternative: WWW.FINDTOTO.COM is a for-profit mass phone calling/messaging service. The company is able (for a fee) to contact hundreds, even thousands of people in your neighborhood to notify them that you are looking for your pet. Prices start at $85 for 250 calls.

Found a Stray?

Review the Forsyth Animal Shelter Guidance: Forsyth County Animal Shelter Found a Stray Info

Thank you for your compassion towards this lost pet.  Listed below are several suggestions & resources designed to reunite families.

• Check for a microchip. 
• ​Please take the pet to be scanned for a microchip at a veterinary clinic or at either of our two locations.
• Post a picture to Petco Love Lost
• Visit WXII Pets for additional resources for posting found pets.
• Create a found pet flyer. Post your flyers in the area where the pet was found.
• Post on Pawboost! 
• Post on Facebook Pages: WXII12 Pets or email pets@wxii12.com, Lost & Found Pets of Winston-Salem, NC, LOST & FOUND – GUILFORD, FORSYTH PETS, Lost and Found Animals in Yadkin, Surry, Forsyth, and Wilkes Counties, Lost & Found Dogs – North Carolina, or Lost & Found Pets of North Carolina.
• Post an ad in the paper (The Winston-Salem Journal will place a “Found Animal” ad at no charge to the finder).

Received a response? Great! Consider the following suggestions for your safety and the safety of the animal:

• Ask for proof of ownership.
  • ​Examples that can be emailed or texted include a photo of the dog or cat, and/or vet records with a description. This may save both parties a trip if it is not the right animal.
• Meet in a public place, preferably with a family member or friend.