Lost or found a pet in San José
San José Animal Care Center
Shelter and field services for San José, Cupertino, Milpitas and Saratoga
408-794-7297What to do if your pet is missing
Now
Add a photo and where your pet was last seen. We’ll show you pets posted nearby that could be yours. Each one is a lead to check, not proof.
Start with a photoFree and private. No account needed.Next
What local animal services ask:
- Update your microchip contact details, then search the shelter’s PetCompass listings.
- If you do not see your pet, remove the status filter there and search again.
- If you see your pet listed, visit the shelter and give staff the animal ID number.
PetCompass is the name the shelter’s lost-pet page gives its online pet search. FindLostPets also shows this shelter’s listings.
FindLostPets and the shelter keep separate reports. It helps to file one with the shelter too.
How long shelters hold a pet
California law requires shelters to hold stray dogs and cats for at least four business days, not counting the day they arrive; many must hold six. Contact the shelter quickly; a specific pet's status can differ.
This is a general rule, not a date for your pet. Go in person as early as you can, and ask the shelter how long it will keep a pet that could be yours.
More details about hold times
Exceptions apply, such as newborns and suffering animals.
Official sources:California FAC 31108 (opens in a new tab)California FAC 31752 (opens in a new tab)
Keep checking
- Look at the shelter’s listings again, and go in person when you can.
- Open your search here again to see what has been posted since.
- Write down who you called and any possible sightings, then make a flyer and share it.
What to do if you found a pet
Now
Answer three quick questions and see if someone nearby is missing them.
Look for their ownerPrivate until you choose to share. No account needed.Next
What local animal services ask:
- If the pet is sick or injured, bring it to the shelter right away.
- Submit a found report through the city’s official found-pet page.
- For a stray dog or an injured stray cat, ask the shelter about officer pickup.
FindLostPets and the shelter keep separate reports. It helps to file one with the shelter too.
How long shelters hold a pet
California law requires shelters to hold stray dogs and cats for at least four business days, not counting the day they arrive; many must hold six. Contact the shelter quickly; a specific pet's status can differ.
More details about hold times
Exceptions apply, such as newborns and suffering animals.
Official sources:California FAC 31108 (opens in a new tab)California FAC 31752 (opens in a new tab)
Pets posted near San José
Pet Watch
Be the neighbor who helps a pet get home
An email when a missing pet is posted near you
Free · Unsubscribe anytime
How Pet Watch worksAbout these instructions
These instructions are for pets lost or found in the city of San José. The shelter asks finders not to bring in healthy stray dogs where possible; staff evaluate cats before accepting them.
- Local steps checked against the official pages on .
- Hold rule checked .
- Visiting details for San José Animal Care Center and Silicon Valley Animal Control Authority (SVACA) checked .