How to Find Your Lost Dog in Los Angeles
What do you do when you have lost your dog? The simplest answer would be to look for it. If you are located in the city of Los Angeles, CA, however, there are instances where looking for your lost dog is easier said than done. This is because there are a lot of dogs that get lost in Los Angeles every year.
According to the Department of Animal Care and Control, approximately 50,000 dogs are picked up each year by animal control officers. Thankfully, around 30% of these dogs are returned home either by an identification tag or microchip or by some other means.
If you have lost your dog, there are a few things that you can do to increase the chances of finding him or her. If you're stumped on where to start, DoNotPay can help.
What To Do if You Lose Your Pet in Los Angeles
If you have lost your pet, the first thing that you should do is search for it. This means going to your neighborhood and looking for your pet. You should also visit animal shelters in your area and look through their listings of lost animals.
- If you have lost a cat, be sure to check nearby trees and bushes as they may have climbed up high and are stuck or hiding. Cats often hide when they are scared or when they feel threatened.
- Do not just limit your search to one area, it is also recommended that you try looking in other areas near where you lost your pet. If possible, ask friends and neighbors if they have seen your dog or cat.
- To increase the chances of finding your pet, make sure to have up-to-date contact information on your pet's identification tag. This should include your name, address, and telephone number.
Do Lost Dogs Usually Get Found?
The answer to this question is, unfortunately, no.
There are a few reasons for this. The first reason is that many dog owners don't have identification for their dogs. Without an identification tag, it becomes very difficult to determine where the dog originally came from. If a pet has no owner, however, animal control or a shelter will attempt to find his or her owner before adopting him out to a different family.
Another reason is that some people either refuse to take lost dogs to the animal control office or shelter. While it is true that many found dogs are adopted out, others are euthanized after seven days of being unclaimed. This is why some people would rather keep lost pets as their own.
Do Lost Cats Usually Get Found?
Similar to lost dogs, lost cats usually do not get found.
One of the main reasons for this is that cats are very good at hiding and fleeing from danger. In addition, many people do not put identification tags on their cats. This makes it difficult to determine where the cat came from if he or she is found.
Many shelters and animal control offices will post flyers about found cats, so be sure to check. In addition, there are also a lot of lost and found pet websites that you can post on if you have lost your cat.
Shelters and Animal Control Offices in Los Angeles
If you have lost your dog or cat, you can visit the following animal shelters and animal control offices to see if your pet has been picked up by the authorities. You can reach each office through a centralized phone number: 888-452-7381.
- East Valley Center – 14409 Vanowen St., Van Nuys, CA 91405
- Harbor Center – 957 N. Gaffey Street, San Pedro, CA 90731
- North Central Center – 3201 Lacy Street, Los Angeles, CA 90031
- Chesterfield Square Center – 1850 W. 60th St. Los Angeles, CA 90047
- West Los Angeles Center – 11361 West Pico Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90064
- West Valley Center – 20655 Plummer Street, Chatsworth, CA 91311
Los Angeles Pet Lost & Found Website
If you don't want to visit all of these places by yourself, you can also search for your lost pet on the Los Angeles Lost and Found Pets website. This website is a collaborative effort between volunteers who operate Lost and Found pet websites as well as the City of Los Angeles Animal Services.
How To Avoid Losing Your Pet
While it is impossible to prevent your pet from ever getting lost, there are a few things that you can do to increase the chances of him or her being found.
- The first thing that you can do is to make sure that your pet has some form of identification. This can include a microchip, an identification tag, or an identification tattoo. If your pet is found by someone else, this will make it much easier for them to be returned to you.
- Another thing that you should do is keep up-to-date photographs of your pet in case he or she does get lost. You can either post these on your refrigerator so that others can identify your pet or you can upload them to a website like lost and found pets.
- Finally, never leave your pet unattended outside. This makes it easy for him or her to run away and get lost. If you have to leave your pet at home, make sure that he or she is in a secure area where he or she cannot escape.
How To Use DoNotPay To Find a Lost Dog in Los Angeles
If you have lost your dog in Los Angeles, you can use the DoNotPay website to help you find him or her. This website is a chatbot that helps people with a variety of issues, including finding lost pets.
Here's how you can use DoNotPay to report lost and found pets:
- 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 Dog in Los Angeles
It's Fast - You don't have to spend hours trying to solve the issue of finding your lost dog on your own. DoNotPay is here to help you file a report and get your lost pet entered into the government directory.
It's Easy - Using DoNotPay is easy. They have tried to make the process as simple as possible, so you can get back to searching for your lost dog sooner.
It's Successful - Thousands of people have reported their lost and found pets using DoNotPay, so you can be sure that your pet will be in good hands.
What Else Can DoNotPay Do?
DoNotPay can help you with many other routine issues. These include:
Don't delay -- sign up for DoNotPay today and get your lost or found pet taken care of.