I’VE LOST MY PET
What to do if your animal is missing
There are several resources that can help you find your lost animal.
If your pet is picked up within city limits, it will first be taken to that city’s police department. Call your police department or local animal control to see if they have found your animal and to make a report. And because animals don’t understand boundaries, check our Lost Pets webpage to see if your animal has been picked up by our facility, and be sure to create a lost animal report below.
KCAC maintains an online record of its stray animals. To view these animals at PetHarbor click here. Under the Lost Pets column, select the appropriate species to see what animals we have at our facility. KCAC also maintains an online system to monitor lost/found animals in Kane County that may still be in the location they were found. You may file a LOST PET REPORT, see below, and follow the instructions to submit a lost pet report. All reports post for 30 days. After 30 days you may repost your lost pet report to keep it active for another 30 days. If you find your pet during the 30 days, KCAC askes that you contact us and we will remove your post for you.
If your pet is microchipped, call the microchip company and make sure that your information is current in their database. All animal control agencies in Illinois will scan animals for a microchip. If information connected to the microchip is incorrect, it may be impossible for the correct owner to be found.
Social media, such as Facebook, can be a great help in making sure that people in your area know about a lost animal. Many subdivisions and cities have Facebook pages where photos and information about a lost pet can be posted. Lost dogs can be also reported to Lost Dogs Illinois by clicking here, this is a Facebook page for lost and found pets statewide. Many people also make postings for lost and found dogs on Craigslist
Newspapers, in their classified ads section, usually print lost and found dog notices as well. You can also view most classified ad sections online.
Finally, posting fliers and walking the area where the animal was lost can sometimes help to locate an animal which you suspect may be staying in the same area. Make sure that people in your neighborhood are aware that your pet is lost. If your animal is nearby, giving it a scent trail to follow back home can help. If you have an item of bedding that your pet slept or laid on frequently, setting it outside can help create a beacon for it to follow back home.
For a complete list of all local shelters in or around Kane County please click here
NOTE: Submitting a lost report does not guarantee that we will call you if your pet comes in. Unless the pet is microchipped or has a valid ID tag on its collar when found, we may not know it is your pet. We recommend you check our website daily to look for your lost pet.
File a missing pet report
Please be as detailed as possible when filling out the report, including if your pet is microchipped and/or wearing identification. You will be allowed to attach a photo at the end of the report.
Search our online found pet pages to see if the animal has been reported as found
Contact Lost and Found
If you would prefer to submit a lost report over the phone or have questions about your lost or found pet, please call 630-232-3555.
Retrieving a Lost Animal at KCAC
- You must physically come to the shelter to claim your pet.
- You must be at least 18 years of age. If the registered owner of the pet cannot come to pick up the animal, then someone over 18 may redeem your pet with a signed written letter from the owner and a copy of the owner’s driver’s license.
- A picture ID, such as a driver's license, is required to redeem your pet.
- Additional proof of ownership, such as the pet's picture, microchip verification, and/or vaccination records, are required.
- There are fees associated with redeeming your pet. Please click here for a list of fees.
I’ve reported my animal missing, now what?
Even after filling out a lost report, please continue to visit our website daily.
Bookmark the KCAC website and be on a constant lookout for your animal. Our lost and found section is updated every hour for your convenience. If you've lost an animal, check both the Animals Located at the Shelter section and the Animals Reported Found by the Public section. Your animal could potentially be in either area.
NOTE: KCAC reserves the right to remove any reports found to contain profanity and/or abusive language and/or inappropriate pictures. Pictures MUST be representative of the animal they are showing so other members of the public can identify the animal. Pictures MUST include the face of the animal and any significant markings to help with identification. Reports not meeting these criteria will be removed and not posted as they do not meet the standards of KCAC.
REMEMBER: Lost and Found Reports are retained for 30 days. For reports submitted online you can extend your report by clicking the link at the bottom of your expiration notice email. For reports submitted by contacting the shelter, please call 630-232-3555 and let the staff know you would like to extend your report.