Finding Your Lost Pet

Riverton City Animal Shelter
12750 S. 1500 W.
Riverton, Utah 84065
Telephone - (801) 208-3108

Hours:
8:00 a.m. - 4:00 p.m.
Monday - Friday

Look for your pet at your house first – could he be in a hiding spot? Could he be sleeping somewhere? 

Check your neighborhood by asking kids and other neighbors if they have seen your dog, many times it’s a neighbor who has found a stray without identification and they are holding the dog to try to locate an owner. If no one has seen your dog leave a description with your information and keep looking by calling your lost pet’s name, whistling, or however your pet responds to you best. 

If your pet has been stolen or is lost do not assume he will come back. Visit your local shelter immediately. If your pet is not there at that time return within 24-48 hours. Many shelters only hold stray animals the 72 hour holding period required by law – so visit shelters often! Some shelters have a separate isolation and quarantine area so be sure to ask about these areas for your lost pet. 

Make fliers to place at local veterinarian clinics, grocery stores, animal shelters, and other public places for others to see. Make sure you have a good description with your contact information. Don’t just search at your local shelter – check all of them! Your pet could wind up at any of the shelters for one reason or another so, in addition, visit the other shelters often. 

If your lost pet has a microchip make sure you have those numbers handy and leave that information with the vet and shelters. However, DON’T assume because your pet has a chip someone will reunite your pet with you. Chips have been known to move around after being administered. When you take your pet for its yearly check-up have the vet scan your pet to make sure the chip is at least in the general shoulder blade area. Some shelters don’t scan stray animals for whatever their reasoning or policy. And then, sometimes chips just aren’t picked up by the scanner –for whatever reason. So please continue searching for your lost pet even if it does have a chip!! 

Due to the growing era of electronic communication, place ads on any lost pet website you can find. Some of the sites we recommend, but not limited to, are:

• ksl.com
• craigslist.com
• petfinder.com
• dogdetective.com
• petharbor.com

These are just some of the many websites that offer services or ads to help spread the word about your lost pet. 

Lastly, do not give up!! Sometimes pets turn up days, weeks, or even months after being lost.