Found Pets


You see a pet roaming around your neighborhood or place of business or on the side of a road -- with no owner in sight. The animal lover in you can't bear to walk or drive away. Don't fret. There are things you can do to help a poor lost pet find his/her way back home. 

How to Help a Lost Pet 
  • Approaching a stray pet.  Remember, safety first. Consider the safety of yourself, the stray pet and other people.  Be aware of traffic conditions and the animal's condition and behavior.  Stray pets, especially injured ones, are typically frightened and may act out aggressively.
    • Before approaching a stray pet, assess their behavior.  Approach the pet gently and cautiously while talking in a calm voice. You can use food & water to entice an animal to approach you. If the pet acts aggressive, you may need to back off and call for back-up or animal services. Remember: don't risk your own safety!  
    • ​Once you've determined if it is safe to do so, try to catch the animal and restrain it with a leash - a slip lead works best for capturing a nervous pet who won't stay still, simply rope it around the neck! A belt or a piece of rope may also be used in case of an emergency. Stray cats and small dogs are best transported & confined in a carrier or a secure box with air holes.
    • If a stray pet is injured, you need to be extra cautious as they may feel extremely vulnerable when approached. You must be prepared to cover vet costs when you choose to help an injured stray. 
  • Check for ID. Once you've captured the stray pet, check for an identification tag. If the pet is not wearing an ID tag, you can take the pet to the local animal shelter or to MHC's Adoption Center to have them scanned for a microchip.  Doing so would give you the pet owner's contact information. 
  • Determine what you want to do with the pet. If you were unsuccessful in locating the owners through an ID tag or microchip you have two options:   *Take note that the local shelter is at capacity most of the time. Because of space limitations, they often have to euthanize pets that are unclaimed by owners or are not adopted within a certain time frame.  Read more information on the Midland Animal Services website. 
    1. Foster the pet. Keep the pet in your care and keep trying to locate the owners. 
    2. Call Animal Services. If you cannot or are not willing to catch the stray pet yourself, call Midland Animal Services. Give as much information about the location and description of the stray pet as possible. 
  • Unable to catch the stray pet? Sometimes a frightened stray pet can be nearly impossible to capture despite your best efforts. Don't lose hope - you can still help find the pet's owner from afar. 
    • Keep an eye on the pet and track its movements as much as you can while you look for the owner online. 
    • Browse local Facebook pages that specifically help lost & found pets. Chances are the owner has posted about their missing pet somewhere. 
    • Take a picture of the stray pet. Post it on websites such as  pawboost.com.  (See Helpful Resources section below)
      • PawBoost is an excellent website for Lost & Found pets!  Many Midland area Facebook pages help share  lost pet information from this site. 
      • Include details of your encounter:  pet's description, the address/area, date & time, and your contact information


Taking the Stray Pet into your Home 
​If you've decided to keep the pet under your care until you find the owner - thank you for helping a pet out and possibly saving his/her life. Here are some things you might consider doing: 

  • Bring the stray pet to the vet.  The vet could help treat any injuries/diseases and ensure that the pet you've taken in has all the necessary vaccinations. You want to be sure that the pet is healthy and fit to be in your household and is free of any contagious illness. Be aware that you will be responsible for these costs. 
  • SPREAD THE WORD about the stray pet. Let people know you've found a pet and are looking for the owners. 
    • Take a good, clear photo of the pet. A photo will be extremely useful in your search for the stray pet's owners. 
    • Post the found pet on the internet   (See Helpful Resources section below)
    • Post it on FACEBOOK (See Helpful Resources section below).  ​Social media expands your network in and around the community so that you will have a greater chance of finding the pet's owner. You can post the pet's  picture on a social media page for lost & found pets. Include  a description of the pet and where you saw it to help out owners who are searching for their pet.  
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​Helpful Resources
The internet is your best tool in reuniting your found pet with his/her owner. 

Websites where you can post the pet's information:
Best local Facebook Pages where you can post lost & found pets in Midland & area: ​
Can't find the stray pet's owners?


It might simply be a case of bad luck (owners not seeing your online posts or posters). Or, unfortunately, you might have come across an abandoned pet. Sometimes irresponsible pet owners decide to let go of their pet in the worst possible manner - abandonment. We've seen these disheartening scenarios -- entire litters of puppies or kittens in garbage bins, a dog wandering in the middle of the desert or on an empty field, or scavenging for food in your neighborhood for months. These pets were deliberately left by their owners knowing that death will be the most likely end-result. 

The good thing is -- it does not have to be. Thanks to the kindness of Good Samaritans like you, found pets could  have a second chance in life. All you need to do is continue to foster the pet/s until you can find them new homes.

Please proceed to the page on Re-homing a Pet  for help on getting started. 


​Do you have any more questions? 
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We will be happy to answer your questions! Please don't hesitate to reach out to us. For your convenience, here is our Contact Form.