As a loving pet owner, there are few things more frightening than discovering your furry friend is missing. As fellow pet owners, we understand and we’re here to help. Time is of the essence, so take a moment to read through our suggestions, and then get started.

Listing of lost pets at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter
Things to do in your neighborhood
Things to do outside your neighborhood
Plan Ahead - Keep Your Pets Safe
If We Have Your Lost Pet

Listing of lost pets at the Vola Lawson Animal Shelter

Click Here for a listing of stray pets at the Shelter.

In Your Neighborhood

Search your house & yard -
Over the years, we’ve heard of lots of hiding places you’d never expect, especially for cats. Even if you think you’ve already checked the house well, unless you actually saw your pet escape, there’s a good chance he’s still inside - maybe just hiding, or maybe accidently closed inside somewhere. Double-checking, and looking inside, underneath and behind these areas is an important first step:

• Appliances (ie-clothes dryer, dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, washing machine, etc.)
• Attic
• Boxes
• Cabinets (including file cabinets)
• Drawers
• Shelves/bookcases

And outside the house, try these popular hiding places:

• Crawl spaces
• Drain pipes
• Drawers
• Gutters
• Roof
• Sheds/Barns
• Trees/bushes
• Vehicles (including up in the engine during cold weather, for cats)

Walk around the neighborhood - recruit your family and friends to help

• Go door-to-door where your pet was last seen, talking to everyone (including postal carriers, paper carriers, school crossing guards and children).
• Carry a written description of your pet with your phone number to leave with residents or on the door (for your safety, never leave your name or your address). To help, print out our sample flyer (Adobe Acrobat PDF).
• Bring a powerful flashlight even during the day, as you’re sure to find yourself peering into dark spaces such as garages, trash bins, crawl spaces, etc. If injured, your dog or cat is likely to hide in a dark space, and may be too frightened even to respond to your voice.
• Frequently call out to your pet - he can hear your from further away than you’d think. Just remember to stop often and listen for your pet’s reply.
• Bring your pet’s favorite squeaky toy and use it. Take a box of your pet’s favorite treats and rattle it loudly while calling his name.

Post flyers around the neighborhood - even up to a mile away from where your pet was lost

• You see them all the time on street corners. And yes, flyers and posters produce more results when searching for a lost pet than anything else.
• Use fluorescent paper to attract the most attention. Include an easy-to-read title such as “LOST DOG” or “LOST CAT.” List the date and place your pet was lost. Use our sample (Adobe Acrobat PDF) flyer if you wish.
• Include a short, simple description of your pet (i.e. male cat, black fur, green eyes), but withhold several identifying marks so you can verify that a person truly has your pet.
• If possible, try to include a color photo of your pet.
• Offer a reward if you wish, but don’t specify an amount. Be aware of pet scams! Never send money before you have your pet back. Some scams include “Your pet is at an animal hospital. Just send me $200 to pay the bill and I’ll bring your pet to you” or “I found your pet while I was driving through Alexandria, but now I’m in Philadelphia. Send me $100 for gas money and I’ll drive her back to you.”
• For your own security, never put your name or your address on the flyer.
• Post flyers on telephone poles and ask permission to post in places such as veterinary offices, pet shops, barber/beauty shops, grocery stores, community and school bulletin boards, churches, convenience stores, near schools, Laundromats, etc.
• Check your posted flyers often and replace missing or damaged ones.

Place familiar or strongly-scented items outside your home

• Just like his hearing, your pet’s sense of smell can help him find his way. Here are few ideas of what can serve as a beacon for your lost pet:
  • A pair of your old gym socks or shirt
  • Your pet’s bedding and/or favorite toys
  • Foods with a strong odor such as tuna, sardines or other savory meat your pet enjoys

Outside Your Neighborhood

• Shelters are required to hold a stray animals for a “stray period”, so it is very important to contact area shelters right away if your pet gets lost. Animals without an indication of ownership (collar, microchip, etc.) are required to be held for at least 5 days. Those that do have a collar or other indication of ownership are held for an additional 5 days.
• Call us and ask to file a Lost Animal Report, giving us information about your pet and where he was lost. At the League, our phones are answered from 9 am to 8 pm on weekdays and 9 am to 5 pm on weekends. We match lost reports against the animals in the shelter daily.
• Visit the shelter and ask to see the stray animals, after you’ve filed a Lost Animal Report. A staff member will need to escort you into our off-view areas, so we appreciate your patience in waiting if we are busy at the desk. The best times to visit are on weekdays, during the day - weekends are especially busy. We are open to the public from 1 pm to 8 pm on weekdays and noon to 5 pm on weekends. Bring a photo of your pet, to attach to the lost animal report.
• Call and visit other shelters in the area as well. Found animals are not always taken to the shelter in the jurisdiction where they are found. Sometimes good samaritans don’t know where that shelter is, and will instead turn stray animals into a nearby jurisdiction. Click here for a list of other local shelters.
• Call local veterinary offices/emergency clinics - visit the office in person if they have an animal that sounds even remotely like your pet.
• Use pet-friendly resources to spread the word about your lost pet.
  • Register your lost pet with Pets911: www.Pets911.com or 1.888.PETS911
  • Register your lost pet with Petfinder: www.petfinder.com
  • Check the “Pets” section on Craig’s List: www.craigslist.com The League posts all of our stray animals here during their stray period.
  • Try a service such as www.FindToto.com, an automated system that can call thousands of phones in your neighborhood in minutes, with a recorded message about your lost pet.
  • Run a “lost pet” ad in the newspaper and community publications. Some will let you place the ad for free. Also be sure to search the “found” section of these publications as well!
• Check with your local and state Department of Transportation (DOT) You may not want to think it, but the hard truth is that a lot of pets are hit and killed by automobiles while on the loose. Both local and state DOTs can help you determine if they have picked up the body of your pet. In the City of Alexandria, these animals are picked up by Animal Control and brought to the shelter so we can try to match them up to lost animal reports, but that is not the case in many other jurisdictions.

Plan Ahead - Keep Your Pets Safe

• Spay/neuter your pets – It’s not just about population control. Pets tend to run off if they’re in heat or they sense another animal in heat.
• Keep fence gates securely locked.
• Pet-proof your fence – When they’re really tenacious, pets will find creative escape routes!
• Never allow your pets to roam free in the neighborhood – Remember, dogs should be in a fenced yard or on leash while outside, and cats should always stay indoors.
• Make sure your pet wears a collar with an ID tag that has your current phone number on it.
• Always transport your cat in a carrier – All it takes is a car backfiring down the road or some other loud noise, and your cat will bolt for the nearest hiding place! Cats also tend to hide and stay put when frightened in a strange place.
• Always transport your dog with a leash – If he’s not in your home or a fenced yard, grab the leash!
• Keep updated and detailed photos of your pet
• Have your pet microchipped – Pets can lose collars and tags. Microchips are a positive and reliable way to ID your pet. Animal hospitals offer this service, and the League also has microchip clinics at least twice a year. See our Events page.
• Make sure that you have proof of ownership for your pet. The law requires that shelters be sure a pet belongs to someone before releasing it. We’ll need more than your word to satisfy this legal obligation, so plan ahead.
  What constitutes proof of ownership?
  The League accepts a number of things as proof of ownership:
  • Vet records in your name, with your pet’s description
  • Photos of your pet over time
  • Bill of sale or adoption contract, with your pet’s description

If We Have Your Lost Pet

• Proof of ownership. To protect pets, the law requires that shelters be sure a pet belongs to someone before releasing it. We will need more than just your word to satisfy this legal obligation, so plan ahead. The League accepts a number of things as proof of ownership:
  • Vet records in your name, with your pet’s description
  • Photos of your pet over time, including a current photo
  • Bill of sale or adoption contract, with your pet’s description
  • Microchip or tattoo records
• Proof of current rabies vaccination.
• Collar/leash for dogs and collar/carrier for cats and other animals. We will not release any animal that is not properly restrained. Your pet ended up lost once - we sure don’t want it to happen again on the way home! You can bring these items from home, or purchase them for a modest fee at the Shelter. Our prices are lower than most pet supply stores.
• ID tag - if your pet already had an ID tag, good for you! It will have helped to make a speedy reunion with your pet. If not, you will be required to purchase ID to put on your pet before leaving the Shelter. If your pet should become lost in the future, this ID is his ticket to a much quicker trip home if he is found. You can purchase this ID at the Shelter, or at various pet supply places.
• Cash or credit card to pay redemption fees. (Sorry - we cannot accept checks for lost pet redemptions)
  • Boarding fee - a fee of $7/night is charged for each night the animal stays at the Shelter. Animals picked up by their owners the same day they arrive are not charged this fee. Picking your pet up as soon as possible not only reduces the boarding fee, but frees that cage up for other animals who need our help.
  • Impound fine - if Animal Control has picked up your pet, there is a $10 impound fee for each time your pet has been picked up. This fine increases with subsequent impounds.
  • City dog/cat license - if you live in the City, and your pet does not have a current cat or dog license, you will be asked to purchase that license. Fees vary based on species, and spay/neuter status. One or three year options are available, depending upon when your pet’s rabies vaccine expires. If your pet has a current rabies vaccination, you will purchase the license that day. Otherwise, you must go get the vaccine and return within a few days to purchase the license.
  • Vet bill, if applicable - if your pet required veterinary attention while in our care, we ask that you reimburse the League for these charges. We only send those pets who appear injured or ill, and in return for this good faith effort in caring for your lost pet, we appreciate your help in recouping this expense.