If you see a lost or endangered pet, here's how you can help. We'll have a separate post about what to do if you lose your pet.
Just looking for who to reach out to about your lost pet? Check out our resource page here.
What we will cover in the post and quick links to get to the section you need:
Signs a pet may need help, is lost, or abandoned
A pet that needs help, that may be lost or abandoned, only needs us to notice and do what we can to find help.
Off-leash dogs
If you spot an off-leash dog and there is no human close by, have they just wandered a short distance from their own yard? If so, they will likely go back after sniffing whatever they were investigating. If you are on a trail, their humans may be just out of sight. You can monitor the situation and ask any other hikers that you encounter if they own the dog. If the dog is moving erratically or running fast, they are likely lost or frightened. If the dog is hiding or lying down, it could be injured.
Exercise caution when approaching, as stressed or injured dogs may bite. Some dogs will not allow strangers to approach, or are so stressed out that they are just in flight mode and panicking, and we need to avoid scaring them.
Cats
Stray cats might suddenly appear in your yard and may not leave. They may meow for help, appear dirty, thin, or injured, and seek entry through your patio door. They might seem scared or confused. If they are hungry, they may eat quickly, though fear may keep them from approaching. Listen for meows from hidden locations like sheds, the garage, or under a house, as cats can squeeze into surprisingly small spaces when scared. You may see a box or even luggage in a strange location and find an abandoned cat or kittens inside.
Bunnies
Wild cottontail rabbits in BC are brown in colour and have adapted to the environment. So any other bunny you see out and about that is an unusual colour such as white, black, grey, or spotted, is likely a lost or abandoned pet.
Similar to cats, if you suddenly see a bunny that has never been around before they have likely been abandoned. Particularly if you are in an urban area, a parking lot, or somewhere with lots of busy roads and traffic around. If the rabbit is an outdoor rabbit it would be in their own yard or have settled in a very lush area with lots of yummy vegetation to nibble on.
Birds
Most pet birds will be in serious danger if they get lost as they are often tropical species and not suited for our cooler climate and are definitely not equipped to protect themselves from local predators. They will be uniquely coloured often bright green, yellow, or blue which is very different from the local bird species. You may also hear a very unusual bird call you have never heard before, even after dark.
Reptiles
There are limited native reptile species in BC, so chances are if you see an unusual creature they could be an abandoned pet. To identify a local reptile from a possible abandoned pet, the best resource is: https://bcreptilesandamphibians.ca/
Some signs that a reptile has been abandoned would be a larger sized snake or lizard, a tortoise (not an aquatic turtle), unusual markings or colours (particularly brighter colours or very pale), they are spotted in an urban area, parking lot, or busy traffic area, they may look thin and malnourished, you may find them in a box or container dumped in an unusual location.
What to do when you spot a lost pet
Sighting of a lost pet
If you spot a pet that you suspect is lost or in danger but are not able to intervene it would be called a 'sighting'. This could be because you are driving by and not able to stop or perhaps the pet is on the move, took off, or hid, and you cannot approach. Or in the case of a cat you may see the cat around, but are unsure if the cat is an indoor/outdoor cat and just wandering their neighbourhood.
What you can do is to try and get a photo, even a blurry one may help, and note the following information:
their colour
any noticeable markings
their size
the location (as specific as possible)
the time of day
And get ready to share the info on social media in the hopes that their family will see that info and be able to locate their pet.
Found pets
A 'found' pet is if you have been able to catch or secure a lost pet, have them safely in your yard or home, or have been able to take them to a local Vet, rescue, or Animal Control picked them up.
What you can do is see if you can approach and befriend the pet, lure them with food or treats, herd them into a safe area, or get them into your car to be taken to safety. In this case, depending on the situation and pet involved, you should check for their owners in the immediate area. So if it is a dog, perhaps they just got out of their yard and live close by? Can you check their collar for contact info and reach out to their Vet or the number listed? Can you ask at a few places nearby to see if they recognize the pet and know where they belong?
If you are able to secure the pet are you able to keep them until you can find their family? You can put up posters and post on social media to spread the word.
If you cannot keep the pet, reach out to a Vet nearby, contact the SPCA, or Animal Control for assistance.
Storytime example with Jen
Way back in the day, I saw a dog in a parking lot just behind this shopping area in Winnipeg and they followed me down the road to my car. It was a very busy traffic area and I was concerned. I ended up taking the dog home with me. I called the contact info on the collar and it was a Vet that was out of town. I left my contact info with them and eventually the owner called me. It turned out that they had left their car window open for air and the dog jumped out. They were actually in a store nearby and likely their car was in the lot I first saw the dog in. So, I really should have gone into the stores to check or even to the houses and asked. But, at least the dog was safe and they were reunited.
Lost or abandoned Bunnies
If you see a potentially lost or abandoned bunny please try to intervene and do not assume they will be okay on their own. You may need to gain trust over time, corral them and/or give them proper food until they can be caught. Some pet rabbits that have been abandoned and have established themselves are considered ‘feral’, legally. And, these rabbits may be surviving, thriving, and may even breed and form a colony. There are organizations like rabbitats.org that help with feral populations, bunny rescue information, and advocacy.
Lost or abandoned birds
For tips on what to do and to report a lost or found pet bird go to https://greyhavenbirds.com/contact-us/
If you spot a bird you may need to offer them food for them to fly to you. If they will not approach please monitor, take a photo, and document their exact location so they can be tracked. They may move to another tree but hopefully not too far. Some birds are stick trained, meaning they will jump on a stick to be carried back to their cage. So that technique could help lure a bird down and allow you to safely get them into a carrier. See the resources on Grey Haven's website and at the bottom of the post for more detailed tips and instructions.
Lost or abandoned reptiles
If you have found a lost reptile or if you are not sure and need assistance check out The Reptile Guy on Facebook or reptileguy.ca
Social Media
Ask the community for help
If you are not able to get the pet home and reunite them with their family right away, it is time to reach out to the rest of the community. The easiest way to do this is through social media.
Lost or found pet Facebook groups
For a full list of local lost or found pet Facebook groups to post on check out our resource page here.
Tips for posting about lost or found pets online
If you are posting online, it is helpful to include the following:
a photo (even from a distance)
the city
exact location and/or closest cross streets
time of day of the sighting (or when they were found or lost)
brief description of the animal
brief explanation of the situation
indicate if this is a:
‘Sighting’ meaning you spotted a pet but could not intervene at the time or catch them
‘Found’ meaning you have them with you and they are secured in some way
I would recommend posting in multiple groups because you will get maximum eyeballs on the post that way. And, that will mean more help, more shares, and that will all hopefully lead to a safe and happy resolution. Just copy and paste the text to save yourself time.
Other places to post
Don’t stop there! There are other places you can post or check:
Nextdoor app
Other Facebook community groups specifically for your city or neighbourhood
Craigslist and Kijiji
For pet birds greyhavenbirds.com https://greyhavenbirds.com/contact-us-new/
Updates
If the pet is reunited, found, or taken in by the SPCA, Animal Control, or a local rescue please update your post so that anyone seeing it later on will know the status. You can edit your post in Facebook and include something at the very top of the post like “Reunited with family” or “Found and back home safe” and so on. The posts will often pop up on people’s feeds days, weeks, or even months later so it’s good to keep the post current.
Follow up!
If you still have the pet with you and have not yet reunited them with their family don't give up!
call local Vets and rescue groups, and give them a poster or photo (in person or by email)
include Veternarians and rescues that are a bit farther away in case the pet got picked up by someone and taken out of town or have just travelled on foot farther than expected
check their Facebook or Instagram pages to see if they have posted anything about lost or found pets lately
check the BC SPCA Pet Search site for updates
repost in the Facebook Groups and check there regularly for any other residents posting about found or lost pets that may look similar
repost on Next Door and other sites noted here
Put up fresh posters and/or extend the area you put up posters - if the pet has been spooked or is wandering, they may end up a lot farther away than you would guess
Call Animal Control to follow up and check for any reports or updates
Further reading:
K9 Pet Trackers: https://katalbrecht.substack.com Kat is the founder of
Missing Animal Response Network Lost Pet Recovery Training by Kat Albrecht
Survival mode: https://www.petsearcherscanada.com/survival-mode/
Read more about feral and abandoned pet rabbits here:
Baby bunny rescue story and inspiration for this post is on a recent Substack post: https://open.substack.com/pub/furryornot
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