By following the tips below, the chances of finding a lost animal's home are incredibly high without needing to bring them to DCHS. Lost pets can quickly become disheveled in appearance, so please do not to assume the animal was dumped or not loved and cared for by its family.

If the animal needs immediate medical attention, please contact us at (608) 838-0413 ext. 100 during our business hours or take them to UW Veterinary Care if it is after hours.

• If there is a tag with a phone number on it, call it immediately and leave a message if no one answers. If possible, also send a text message as texts are often seen more quickly than calls from unknown numbers. If the animal has a rabies tag, contact the veterinary clinic listed on the tag to check their records. If the animal has a license, contact the treasurer in your municipality.
• If safe to do so, walk the animal around the area where it was found and ask people for help. Consider speaking with area children, postal carriers, delivery drivers, etc. who may recognize the animal.
• Have the animal scanned for a microchip at a local veterinary clinic, local police department, Dane County Humane Society, or other animal shelter/rescue. If a chip is detected, use www.petmicrochiplookup.org to find the registered owner.
• Take a clear photo of the animal's face and register it as found with PawBoost, Petco Love Lost (formerly Finding Rover), Pet FBI (also sends information to Lost Dogs of Wisconsin or Lost Cats of Wisconsin), and 24PetConnect (which includes PetHarbor.com).
• Create a found animal flyer and post in the area where the animal was found, especially major intersections or at stop signs so they are easy to see. Many of the sites listed above all you to generate a printable flyer.
• Post a photo and details, including when and where found (nearest intersections and city) on NextDoor, Craigslist, your neighborhood or apartment/condo Facebook pages, and community lost-and-found groups like LostPetsMadisonWI and Dane County WI Lost and Found Pets.
• Call DCHS at (608) 838-0413 ext. 182 to report the found animal and check for any lost reports matching the animal’s description.
• If you live in Dane County and encounter a loose dog or cat you cannot safely contain, contact Public Health Madison and Dane County Animal Services for assistance or guidance at (608) 255-2345.

If the above tips didn't work, please file a found report with DCHS! You can contact us by phone at (608) 838-0413 ext. 182 or complete an online report below. Please note: We receive dozens of phone calls daily and hold times may be long. Leave a message and we will return your call as soon as possible. To help you more efficiently, we encourage submitting your found report online. Online reports received during business hours will be entered into our database within a few hours. Reports filed after hours will be entered at the start of the next business day. If we find a possible match, we will contact you, but you are welcome to email us at [email protected] for an update on your report.

Many animals can be reunited with their family in just a day or two, and chances are they live nearby you! If possible, consider housing the animal in your home to make a quick reunion. If you need supplies like a food, crate, or litterbox, contact DCHS and we can try to help you.

If you are not able to hold onto a lost animal you found, call DCHS at (608) 838-0413 ext. 100 to schedule an appointment to bring the animal to the Main Shelter.

If you found a wild animal you believe is in need of assistance, please contact DCHS's Wildlife Center at (608) 287-3235 before intervening. Knowledgeable staff and volunteers are happy to talk you through the next steps and determine whether help is truly needed.

Learn more about DCHS's Wildlife Center

If you have a domesticated animal that you are not comfortable transporting yourself, confine the animal and call Dane County dispatch at (608) 255-2345. They will dispatch a Public Health Madison & Dane County Animal Services Officer to pick up the animal but only come if the animal is confined. Confining can include securing the animal with a leash or putting them in your garage, under an inverted laundry basket (if it is very small or injured and will not escape), or in a live trap.

If you have questions about stray animals or related animal control laws in your community, contact your local police or sheriff's department to find out who handles animal control services in your jurisdiction. Each township, village, city, and county has its own laws and methods of enforcement.

If you are in need of after-hours emergency medical care for a found animal, please contact University of Wisconsin Veterinary Care at their 24/7 Emergency Care number (608) 263-7600. It is recommended that you call prior to your arrival so they can be prepared for the situation.

Dane County Humane Society is the stray holding facility for animals of Dane County. If you find a lost pet outside of Dane County, you should call the stray holding facility or humane society in that county. This gives the animal the best chance at being reunited with its family.

If you bring an out-of-county animal to DCHS, there is a $100 fee per dog or cat (fees vary for other species) and an appointment is required. Dane County and its taxpayers currently pay DCHS for each stray we care for during its stray holding period. We do not receive payment to care for or hold strays brought to us from outside of Dane County. The out-of-county surcharge is the same as what we charge Dane County for stray animal care and holding, and will help offset the cost to care for and hold out-of-county strays. Please call DCHS at (608) 838-0413 ext. 100 if you need assistance locating resources in your county.