ByHow to Quickly Report Your Missing Pet
If you fear your cat has run away, or your dog has gotten out of your gate, no doubt you are horrified. Losing your pet is like losing a family member. You want to get them home quickly and safely.
If you , Washington you need to know the Regional Animal Services of King County (RASKC) provides care for strays from 25 cities and the unincorporated areas. You should report your missing pet to the shelter as well as use other methods to find your pet. The DoNotPay app will help.
What Should You Do If Your Pet Is Missing?
If your pet has a license tag or a microchip, any animal control officer, rescue organization, or veterinarian can look at the tag or scan for a chip and call you. But if an animal is picked up without a license or microchip, he will be impounded.
So, how do you go about finding your lost dog or cat? Things you and your family can do:
- Talk with neighbors
- Post flyers that include your dog's photo and your phone number
- Tell your mail carrier
- Call your veterinarian and any local groom shops
- Post to social media including your own Facebook page and check for the procedure to post on Regional Animal Shelter of King County, and Lost Dogs of King County, Washington pages
- Go to RASKC and check all the intake dogs or cats yourself
What to Do If You Find a Stray Dog or Cat in King County
If you see a stray animal, do not approach it. If it comes to you and seems friendly, check for a collar.
| Check for a Tag with Contact Information | Sometimes owners will use a tag with the pet's name and phone number. If so, your job is easy. |
| Check for a License Tag | If there is no ID tag, but there is a license tag, write down the six-digit license number. Call RASKC at 206-296-2712. You may reach a staff member or an automated system. Either way, you should be able to receive the pet owner's number to contact them directly. |
| See If the Stray Has a Microchip | If the pet does not have any tags, you can take it to the RASKC Adoption Center in Kent or your veterinarian to scan for a chip. If the animal is chipped, you should be able to get the owner's name and phone number. |
| Check the Lost Pet Database | Failing those forms of ID, search RASKC's Lost Pet Database to see if the dog or cat you found has been reported missing. |
| Care For the Pet in Your Home | If the owner is not immediately found, and you would like to take care of the pet in your home, fill out a Found Pet Report with RASKC either through its website or by calling 206-296-3936. |
| Take the Animal to the Shelter | If you cannot take care of the dog or cat, you are asked to take it to the Pet Adoption Center in Kent or the animal shelter closest to you. The pet will be held for its owners for the appropriate waiting period by law. |
Here’s how you can reach King County Animal Shelter:
| Phone Number | 206-296-7387 |
| Address | 21615 64th Ave S, Kent, WA 98032 |
| pets@kingcounty.gov |
If a stray dog or cat seems scared or is aggressive, try to contain it in your yard or garage and call animal control. An animal control officer will pick up the animal as soon as possible during regular hours of 7:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., daily.
How to Report Your Lost Pet to RASKC on your own
To report your lost pet to RASKC, call 206-296-7387 or email LostPets@kingcounty.gov and provide all the necessary information including a photo. You can also search their webpage of animals recently brought into the shelter, although, do not count on it to always be fully updated.
Strays without proof of licensing are held for three days. Licensed pets are held for five days whether the owner has been reached or not. After that, the animal's temperament and health will be assessed for RASKC's adoption program.
You should also contact other shelters in the King County area. There are 22 additional animal shelters and rescue groups including those in Seattle and Tacoma.
Reporting a Lost Pet with the Help of DoNotPay
Reporting your lost cat or dog is of primary importance to get your pet back. Regulations require the shelter to only hold a stray for three days to allow the pet owners to find it. That is not much time!
Reporting your lost dog or cat through DoNotPay is not only easy but quick. Just follow these three steps:
- Search "lost and found pets" on DoNotPay, and select whether you're reporting a lost pet or a pet you've found.
- Enter the date and location you lost or found the pet and tell us more about them, including the breed, gender, whether they are wearing a collar, approximate size, and more.
- Upload evidence a photo of the pet, so they can be identified, and enter your current contact information where you can be reached with updates.
And that's it! DoNotPay will file the report on your behalf, and make sure your lost or found pet gets recorded in the government directory and they know who to contact if they find a match!
Why Use DoNotPay to Find Your Lost Pet in King County
We cannot stress enough how important time is when your pet goes missing. Your immediate action is the difference between finding your lost pet or forever losing them. Fact is, DoNotPay makes these steps easier for you because we are:
- Fast- You don’t have to spend long hours searching the internet for the contact details of the animal shelter where your pet may be.
- Easy- You don’t have to worry about filling in tedious forms repeatedly just to file a report with the numerous animal shelters in Washington.
- Successful- Reporting your lost pet is the most successful way of finding them.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do for You and Your Pets
DoNotPay is designed to make life easier. Regarding your pets and other animals, it can:
DoNotPay Can Do So Much More
Trying to simplify your life? Let DoNotPay help. There are dozens of tasks DoNotPay can do for you. Examples include:
- Cancel services or subscriptions you no longer need
- Help you find unclaimed money
- Get compensation for a canceled flight
- Appeal a parking ticket
And that is just scratching the surface. Look around the DoNotPay website or app. DoNotPay just may become your BFF.