You can be a lifesaver for a lost pets by giving them the best chance to get back home and reuniting them with their worried family. If you’ve recently found a lost pet, please start by reading our found pet tips.
If you haven’t found the pet’s family and you found the pet in DeKalb or Fulton County, please consider becoming a Friendly Finder and keeping the pet for just five days during the “hold” period until available for adoption. Pets have a better chance of returning home if they stay close to the area where they are found and are also much happier in a home instead of a shelter.
Pets eligible for this program primarily include medium to large breed dogs and sometimes kittens. Placement of pets in this program is based on each shelter’s need and discretion.
Simply bring the pet to the DeKalb or Fulton County Animal Services shelter (depending on where you found the pet) and let us know you want to become a Friendly Finder. We will provide the pet’s vaccines, flea treatment, dewormer, microchip and take the pet’s photos for our website. We can also lend you pet supplies if needed (food, crate, toys, a leash, etc.).
If the pet parents are NOT located by day five, you may bring the pet back to the shelter, continue to foster the pet and become an official member of our Foster Program, or you may adopt the pet after the pet has been fully vetted (spayed or neutered).
- Pets are more likely to be reunited with their owner nearby.
- Shelters have more space for other animals in need.
- Pets are less stressed and stay healthier.
- Pets get more exposure to potential adopters.
- We learn more about the pets’ personalities from our fosters which helps us better match them with potential future adopters.
For more information about our Friendly Finders program, contact:
DeKalb County: pethelp@dekalbanimalservices.com
Fulton County: pethelp@fultonanimalservices.