One in three pets will go missing in their lifetime, and as a pet owner, it’s important to know where to look for your lost dog or cat… and it may not be where you think. With more and more lost pets coming into our care this time of year, we wanted to clear up some of the confusion and put together a list of helpful local resources for pet owners in our community when searching for their pets in the greater Fresno/Clovis area.
THE MOST IMPORTANT PLACE TO LOOK FOR YOUR LOST DOG OR CAT
The most important place to look? Intake facilities. What many people in our community may not know is that when an animal is found as a stray, there is technically only one facility with the legal authority and jurisdiction to bring them into their care, and that’s the designated animal intake facility for the area where they were found. However, it’s not uncommon for pets to wander to another area or for finders to be untruthful about where pets were found in order to convince another facility to bring them into their care, and with this in mind, it’s important to check all of the local intake facilities in your area and report your pet as lost.
Our Clovis Animal Receiving and Care Center is the designated intake facility for pets found within Clovis city limits, and you’re always welcome to check with us by calling or texting (559) 324-2450. We also do our best to post lost animals in our care on our website, and you can view them at any time at clovisanimalservices.com/animals/listings.
For pets found in the City of Fresno or Fresno County limits, the designated intake facility will be one of two Fresno Humane facilities, and both can be reached at (559) 600-7387.
OTHER PLACES TO LOOK FOR YOUR LOST DOG OR CAT
PRIVATE ANIMAL SHELTERS AND RESCUES
Unless a private organization acts as a designated intake facility for an area, private animal shelters and groups are generally unable to bring in stray animals unless they’ve first gone through the designated intake facility. It’s never a bad idea to report your pet as lost to these organizations as well, but if the correct procedures are followed, keep in mind that the intake facilities should see your pet before these groups do!
ONLINE LOST & FOUND PET RESOURCES
There are many lost and found pet resources available online where community members often post pictures of lost and found dogs and cats. If you’re looking for your pet, be sure to check local lost and found pet pages on Facebook, the Nextdoor app, and Craigslist. These are all great places to not only keep an eye out for your pet but also to post your pet as missing so others can help keep an eye out, too! Here at Clovis Animal Services, we offer the Central Valley’s first and only lost and found pet map on our website where you can list pets as lost or found and search listings by area. Adding a listing is simple, fast, and free for our community. To add a listing, visit clovisanimalservices.com/new-listing.
OTHER REMINDERS
If your pet is microchipped, be sure to also call your microchip company to report them as missing and to be sure your contact information is up to date, so if they’re found, they can come home to you! If your pet isn’t microchipped, we highly recommend you take this step to protect your pet. It’s a simple, safe, and affordable way to help ensure your pet can be identified if they’re ever lost, and the peace of mind is priceless. We believe in this service so much at Clovis Animal Services that we offer it through our pet adoption center, Miss Winkles, for just $20. To schedule an appointment, call (559) 324-2465, and to learn more about microchips and how they work, check out our blog here: clovisanimalservices.com/clovis-pet-owner-blog/how-pet-microchips-work-and-why-your-pet-needs-one.
IN CONCLUSION
Losing a pet is one of the most dreaded experiences for any pet owner. If you lose your dog or cat, remember to check the designated intake facilities in your area first (followed by private animal shelters and rescues), contact your microchip company, and post and regularly check across online lost and found pet resources like Facebook, Nextdoor, Craiglist, and our website here at ClovisAnimalServices.com. When lost pets come into our care, our first priority is finding their family, and we’re always here to help. If you have any questions or if we can be of any further assistance, don’t hesitate to contact us at (559) 324-2450.
Clovis Animal Services – (559) 324-2450