LOST, FOUND, REUNITED

What to do when the unthinkable happens.  From finding a lost pet, losing your pet or reuniting the pet you found with his or her human.

1. Search local rescues' social media pages on Facebook.

2. If your pet is not listed, please post the following:

• Photo of your pet
• Pet’s name and description (sex, and if no photo is available - breed, size and color as well)
• Location where lost and date last seen
• Contact info (name and other means to contact you)

3. Call MACC Dispatch at 509-762-1160. Give a description of your pet and location last known; ask if anyone has called in a sighting and request the description be forwarded, along with your contact information, to the animal control officer in that jurisdiction.

4. Call Grant County Animal Outreach at 509-762-9616 and any other local shelters. Give a description of your pet. If they do not have a match, leave your name and phone number so they can call you if a match comes in. Ask if you can email or message them a photo. Leave the same information if you get their voicemail. Call back during hours of operation and check daily, if necessary.

5. If a few days have passed without any luck, consider driving to the GC Animal Outreach and any other local shelters, to check in person. Keep in mind, how you describe your pet, may be slightly different than how someone else describes your pet. It may help to check in person.

6. Continue checking social media sites where people can post found pets.

1. Search local rescues' social media Facebook pages for any matching missing pets.

2. If the pet is not listed, please post the following:

• Photo of the found pet, if possible
• Pet’s basic description (if no photo is available – breed or size/color). Try to keep the sex held back as well as color of the collar...something the owner will have to identify in order to claim the pet
• Location where found
• Contact info (name and other means to contact whoever has the pet)

3. By now you have likely already secured the pet safely, however, you will need to decide your next course of action. Do you want to hold temporarily, foster, take to a nearby shelter, contact a rescue to foster or request an animal control officer pick up the animal (depending on location and availability)? First though, please have the pet scanned for a microchip. You can message us for help, or try your local veterinarian, police department or animal shelter for help. 

4. Call MACC Dispatch at 509-762-1160. Give a description of the pet and location found; ask if anyone has called in a missing pet and request the description be forwarded, along with your contact information, to the animal control officer in that jurisdiction. Advise where the pet will be held and provide that contact information, if different than yours.

5. Call Grant County Animal Outreach at 509-762-9616 and any other local shelters. Give a description of the pet. Ask if they’ve received any inquiries, leave your name and phone number so they can call you if a matching inquiry comes in. Offer to email or message them a photo. Leave the same information if you get their voicemail. Call back during hours of operation and check daily, if necessary.

6. Continue checking social media sites where people can post lost/missing pets.

• There is a process you should follow before keeping a found animal. The definition of "abandoned," according to WA State law (see RCWs under Title 16, Chapter 54), may be different than what you think. Please actively search for an owner of any found animal before claiming it as your own. The law also addresses issues regarding the taking of another's pet (see RCW 9.08.070). Animal rescue groups (defined under RCW 82.04.040.4.c) are generally equipped to help with the process of reuniting found pets that are lost, with their owners. For additional questions regarding the law, as well as local ordinances, please contact your local law enforcement agency.
• Making assumptions regarding a found animal solely based on the condition for which the animal was discovered is oftentimes inaccurate. We simply cannot know the history of every animal we find, nor how they came to be in the situation we found them in.  Any time we can reunite an animal with their loving human is a great day for us … but an even better day for the pet and their person!
• Microchipping your pet can dramatically increase your chances of being reunited with your lost pet and it is not as expensive as you might think! Keeping your contact information current and updated in the microchip database is also essential for a quick recovery.
• Depending on where you live, you may be required to license or register your pet (usually dogs). However, this can also help if you lose your pet! Make sure to keep current dog tags on your canine buddies so law enforcement can locate you if your little escape artist makes a break for it.
• Many pets disappear when “love is in the air” but being spayed or neutered will help! Your friend might even take up poetry reading, content to sit in your chair and recite verses rather than traversing the streets. More likely though, your pet will just drive you a little less crazy. Definitely a plus! However, there can be additional health benefits to your pet being spayed or neutered – BONUS! Talk to your veterinarian for more information.
• If you need information regarding financial assistance, please reach out to us!