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Lost and Found Animals
The Bitter Root Humane Association has partnered with Petco Love Lost to help reunite all of the lost domestic animals in the Bitterroot Valley with their owners. This free service offers nationwide facial recognition to help domestic animals listed in the system match with domestic animals listed as lost or found no matter where they are located.
Stray List
Looking to see if your pet is at the Bitter Root Humane Association? Visit our BRHA Petco Love Lost page to view all stray animals currently housed at the shelter.
Is Your Pet Lost?
A lost pet can be a frightening experience for any pet parent. Immediate action is crucial, but where do you start? See the tips below to get reunited with your pets as quickly as possible
- Walk the neighborhood: Take a walk around the immediate area and speak to any neighbors, postal service workers, landscapers, or anyone who may have seen your lost pet. You know your pet best, so look in areas that your pet may have been interested in or comfortable hiding in. Most pets are found close to home. Create your own lost and found poster or use an online template.
- Share their scent: Put a couple of your pet’s favorite items near the most common entryways into your home. The front door and the door into your yard would be the best locations. You can include items like their favorite bed, blanket, toys, their litterbox (if cat), and any other items they use frequently. Their scents may help them find their way home.
Next Steps:
- Search for your lost dog or cat on Petco Love Lost: We have partnered with Petco Love Lost to easily help search the national lost and found database. Powered by facial recognition technology, Petco Love Lost helps match found animals to reported lost pets nationwide. Visit the BRHA Petco Love Lost site and search now!
- Post your pet on Petco Love Lost: If you haven’t done so already, be sure to register your pet on Petco Love Lost. You can then create a Lost listing that can be shared on social media and print out premade fliers. You can also receive fliers via text message or email.
- Use the sharing features on Petco Love Lost to distribute your lost pet listing: Consider posting your lost flyer on Facebook such as the Bitter Root Animal Lost & Found group and any other social media sites to which you subscribe.
- Make sure your pet’s microchip information is up to date: If a finder takes your missing pet to be scanned for a microchip, you want to make sure that all the information is correct so that you will be contacted immediately.
- Check the Bitter Root Animal Lost & Found Facebook group: Many times people in the Bitterroot will find an animal, post it on this group, and then care for it until the animal can be returned to the owner. They will also post animals that they have seen running loose in the city (but were not able to secure) along with the time and location they were sighted.
- Continue to spread the word about your missing pet: Make sure any posters or fliers made are large and bright with only relevant information on them. Place in high-traffic areas and in the vicinity of where your lost pet went missing
- Don’t give up! Finding a lost pet can take time. Remember to regularly check websites that you have posted your lost pet on and make updates as needed. New lost and found pets are added regularly to Petco Love Lost and to your local shelters.
Found an animal?
It’s heartbreaking to see domestic animals running loose in the community. Thank you for caring enough to help get this lost pet back home. Follow the steps below for the best chance of a reunion.
Walk the neighborhood: Take a walk around the immediate area and speak to any neighbors, postal service workers, landscapers, or anyone who may have seen this pet before. Most pets are found close to home.
Next Steps:
- Check the animal for tags or phone numbers on the collar: If the animal has identification tags or a phone number on the collar, give the owner a call. Let them know that you have their animal and arrange a safe public place to meet and get their animal back to them. If there are rabies or city license tags, call the phone number and let them know you have found an animal with their tag. They may be able to look up the owners’ information to get the animal back home.
- Have the animal scanned for a microchip: You can take the animal to any veterinarian or animal shelter to have the animal checked for a microchip. This is the fastest and easiest way to get an animal reunited with its owner.
- Post the animal on Petco Love Lost: Take a photo of the animal, specifically a photo of the animal looking at the camera. Post the animal on Petco Love Lost. This free service is powered by facial recognition technology and helps match found animals to reported lost animals nationwide. This will also give you a shareable link that can be posted on social media sites and the option to print flyers if you choose.
- Post on the Bitter Root Animal Lost & Found Facebook group: This group has over 20,000 concerned citizens and is one of the go-to locations for lost pet owners or their friends as well as the animal shelters in Great Falls. Oftentimes, animals posted on this site are returned to their owners within hours. You can post the link you created on the Petco Love Lost site.
- Be cautious! There are several things to be aware of when finding a lost animal.
- First and foremost is your safety. Make sure not to put yourself at risk trying to secure the animal. They may be scared and are more apt to bite when threatened. Do not force the animal to come to you or try to trap them with your body.
- When contacted by someone claiming to be the owner, feel free to ask for a photo or other proof that they own the animal. Most pet owners will have at least one photo of their animal on their phone.
- Remember that you don’t know the medical history of this animal. Meaning that you may not want to introduce the animal to your pets or children in case it has a communicable disease that you are not aware of.
- Do not alter the animal. Since the animal is not yours, you may not get it vaccinated, have it groomed, or do anything else that may cause harm or be against the wishes of its owner.
Pet Health & Safety Services
For information on the services below, please call the shelter at (406) 363-5311. Some services may require an appointment.
- Spay and Neuter – BRHA strives to reduce the overpopulation of unwanted pets in our community and encourages everyone to spay or neuter their pets. Not only will you save the lives of many unwanted animals but research shows that pets which are “fixed” tend to lead healthier, longer lives. Through grants and special programs, BRHA may be able to assist you towards the cost of these surgeries with our participating vets; please call us at (406) 363-5311 to see what spay/neuter assistance is currently available.
- Micro-chipping – The best way to help ensure that your precious pet finds its way home when lost is with a micro-chip. Once inserted, almost all vets, shelters and rescues have the equipment to scan for micro-chips to help lost pets find their owners! BRHA is happy to help you find peace of mind and will micro-chip your pet for $15.00.
- ID Tags – Even if your pet is micro-chipped, we suggest all pets have an ID Tag on their collar too. We have a great selection in all colors & shapes for $7 each, that can be personalized anytime during business hours. Having your pet’s name and your current phone number on the tag can help law enforcement or finders contact you more quickly when vets or the shelter are not open.
- Lost and Found – The Bitter Root Humane Association oversees the Bitter Root Animal Lost and Found Facebook page as a service to the community to assist in reuniting lost pets with their owners. Post lost and found animals as soon as possible and also call the shelter with the information.
- Dog Licensing for the City of Hamilton.
