Lost and found pet help in Austin

Where should I look for my lost dog or cat in Austin?

1. Start with the last confirmed location. Ask nearby people to check their yards and enclosed spaces. Use our missing-dog guide, indoor-cat search guide, or outdoor-cat search guide for the next steps.
2. Check both local reports and the shelter. Browse found pets near Austin and the city’s current shelter listings and lost-pet resources. The city page links to its official reporting tool, Petco Love Lost.
3. Share a consistent photo and last-seen area. The city resource page also links to local lost-and-found Facebook groups. Ask people to send the location, time, and photo of any sighting. Keep your microchip registry’s contact information current.

Use our shelter-search checklist to track calls and possible leads, and the flyer and neighborhood-post guide to share a clear alert.

What should I do with a found pet in Austin?

Record where and when you found the pet. If you can safely keep them with you, check for a tag and arrange a microchip scan. Austin Animal Services lists veterinary offices, shelters, and Austin and Travis County fire stations among scanning locations; contact the location before traveling.

Follow the city’s found-pet reporting and intake instructions. If you cannot safely keep the pet, contact its Pet Resource Center through that page to arrange intake. For a sick or injured found animal, the city directs people to Austin 3-1-1: 512-974-2000.

A cat outdoors may have a home nearby. See our found-cat guide, found-dog guide, or sighting guide if the animal is still loose.

Is Austin Pets Alive! the same as Austin Animal Services?

No. Austin Animal Services handles the city’s municipal found-pet process. Austin Pets Alive!’s found-pet guidance directs people to the city first. APA! may offer limited support in coordination with the city, but does not replace municipal intake or guarantee a place for a found animal.

I think my pet is at the shelter. Who should I contact?

Use the animal’s listing number when contacting Austin Animal Services. Its reclaim instructions list 512-978-0556 and animal.reclaim@austintexas.gov. Ask staff what documents to bring and confirm visiting arrangements before leaving.

If your pet went missing near a city or county boundary, check the surrounding shelters linked from the city’s resource page as well. The nearest shelter may not be the one that received your pet.

Which surrounding shelters should I check?

Start with the agency responsible for the last-seen area. These are additional search resources, not a promise that every facility accepts animals from every address or shares its full inventory with FindLostPets.

Williamson County Regional Animal Shelter

Its published service area includes Round Rock, Cedar Park, Hutto, Leander, Georgetown, and Williamson County. Check its lost/found listings and reclaim instructions.

Pflugerville Animal Welfare Services

For a pet missing or found in Pflugerville, use the city’s lost, found, and reclaim resources. Confirm the responsible agency using the actual location, especially near city boundaries.

San Marcos and the Hays County area

Check San Marcos shelter listings. For Kyle, Buda, or other Hays County locations, confirm the receiving facility with local animal services: the city has announced changes to regional shelter arrangements. Kyle Animal Services provides a local contact route.

If a caller claims to be a shelter, verify the call through its official website before sending private records or payment. Williamson County’s lost-pet scam warning describes callers impersonating shelter staff.

¿Necesitas ayuda en español? The Austin Animal Services resource page links to its official Spanish-language lost-and-found pet guide, labeled “Español.”

What does the FindLostPets Austin search cover?

FindLostPets brings together public reports and eligible shelter listings available to our service. Open each result to check its source, location, and date. Coverage varies as records arrive and change; a search with no results does not establish that your pet has not been found.

Our Austin search page previews found-pet reports and shelter listings from the last seven days. For a broader search, browse Austin found-pet results and adjust the filters. Continue checking the city’s own listings. Reporting on FindLostPets does not automatically file a report with Austin Animal Services.