What to do if you find a missing pet

Have you found a missing pet?  

If you have found a dog wandering without their owner or a cat you think is lost, it’s important that you ensure your own safety first.  

Don’t try to retrieve an animal from a dangerous location or approach a dog or cat that is showing signs of aggression.  

What to do if you find a missing dog 

Once you’ve established that the dog’s owner isn’t nearby, here are the steps you should take to help: 

1. If the dog is calm enough, check to see if they’re wearing a collar with their owner’s information then try to reach out to them directly. This is the quickest and simplest way to reunite them with their owner. 
2. If the dog is sick or injured, contact a local vet for further advice or call SSPCA on 03000 999 999. If the dog is in immediate danger, please contact emergency services.  
3. Do not approach a dog that is displaying any signs of aggression. Instead, contact the police on 101!  
4. If you’re able to safely approach and contain the dog, you can take them to a local vet to have their microchip scanned.  
5. You can also contact local animal shelters such as Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home to report the dog, they may be able to take them in or to help match them with their owner.  
6. If it’s outside of opening hours for the vet and local animal shelters, or if you don’t have transportation, you can request help for a stray dog by calling the police on 101 or contacting your local dog warden. 
7. Try to capture pictures and videos of the dog and share these on local social media groups to help spread the word locally and reconnect the animal with their loved ones.   

Rehoming a stray or missing dog.  

Did you know it’s an offense to keep a missing or stray dog without reporting them to the authorities? 

If you can’t find the dog’s owner and you’re interested in rehoming them yourself, you must still report the dog to your local council dog warden. You can let them know that you want to give the dog a home and it’s possible they will return the dog to you if they can’t find their owner!  

What to do if you find a missing cat?  

Identifying a missing cat can be a little trickier as they could simply be an outdoor pet. Here’s what you should do if you suspect a cat is lost or stray.  

1. Check on local social media pages to see if anyone is looking for a lost pet and share their picture in case anyone recognises them.  
2. If the cat is happy for you to approach them, try and see if they have a collar with their owner’s contact details to reach out to.  
3. If you can get the cat safely into a cat carrier, you can take them to a local vet practice to scan their chip.  
4. Contact local animal shelters such as Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home to report the cat as they may be able to help reconnect them with their owner or provide further advice.  
5. If there is a cat who visits you regularly, and you’re not sure if they have a home, you could try putting ‘Found’ posters up with a picture of the cat and your contact details around the local area to see if their owner comes forward. 
6. If you’re worried about their health or unable to contain them yourself, you can contact the Scottish SPCA emergency line at 03000 999 999 

Unlike with dogs, wardens have no obligations to take in stray cats, so it’s important to contact trusted shelters such as Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home who can help advise you on the best course of action.