Pets - Lost & Found
Browse pets items that have been lost or found. Help reunite people with their belongings.
Lost or found a pet: what to do first
A missing pet is urgent, and the first day matters most. Dogs and cats tend to travel a short distance from home, microchips are only useful when the registration is up to date, and found animals are often taken in by a neighbour or a vet. This page explains what to do in the first hours, how to describe a pet, how reporting and matching work on DokiFinder, and what to do if you have found an animal. Reporting is free.
What people lose in this category
Cats slip out through doors and windows, dogs slip their lead or dig out of gardens, and small animals escape cages. Pets also go missing after fireworks, during travel and when a house sitter leaves a gate open.
The first hours
Search the immediate area calmly, check hiding places and call the pet's name. Tell neighbours, the local vets and animal shelters, and the registry your pet's microchip is registered with. Put up notices with a clear photo and a contact detail. Place familiar bedding or food outside; cats often return at night.
How to describe a pet
Give the species, breed, size, colours and markings, age, the collar or tag, and whether the animal is chipped. Use a clear photo. Keep one detail back, for example a mark under the fur or the chip number, so a finder can verify the owner.
How reporting works on DokiFinder
Post a lost report with the photo, the area and the time. It is compared with found reports from individuals and from organizations that log found animals. People who find a stray can report it with a photo and the place, and are told when an owner's report looks like a match. The handover is agreed in the platform's chat.
If you found an animal
Check for a collar, tag or microchip. A vet or a shelter can usually read a chip. Keep the animal safe and warm, post a found report with a photo and the place, and ask the owner to describe a mark that is not in the picture.
Keeping the search going
Most pets are found within a short distance of where they were lost, often hiding rather than running. Search at dawn and dusk when the streets are quiet, ask neighbours to check sheds and garages, and keep a photo and a description ready to share. Update your report if the pet is seen, so finders know the search is still active. If a stranger contacts you, ask them to describe a mark that is not visible in the photo before you arrange to meet, and meet in a public place or at a vet. A reward, if you offer one, is held securely and released once the pet is back with you.
Frequently asked questions
Should I contact vets and shelters as well?
Yes. Many found animals are taken to a vet or a shelter first.
Is my pet's microchip enough?
It helps only if the registration is current. Update the contact details with the registry.
How does a finder know the pet is mine?
Describe a detail not visible in the photo, such as a mark under the fur or the chip number.
Is reporting free?
Yes. If you offer a reward, it is held securely until the return is confirmed.
I found a stray. What should I do?
Keep the animal safe, check for a chip, and post a found report with a photo and the place.
About DokiFinder
DokiFinder is a lost-and-found recovery network for people and organizations. Owners report lost items for free; honest finders report what they found. AI-assisted matching compares the two, the owner's reward is held securely, finders are identity-verified, and the reward is released only after both sides confirm the handover. Available on the web in 13 languages. Reporting is free.