Lost Pet

If your pet was lost in an area served by Homeward Bound, make sure to visit our shelter regularly to look for your pet. This is especially important, because we have new lost pets arriving around the clock. We also serve thousands of lost and homeless pets each year. We are open from 11AM-5PM Tuesday through Thursday and from 11AM-4PM Friday through
Sunday. We are closed on Mondays. We also recommend sending a picture of your lost pet and information about them to info@homewardboundnj.org.

If your pet is lost, start by searching the surrounding area. The vast majority of pets are found close to where they were lost. Make sure to speak to people in the area who may have seen your pet and hang flyers with your pet’s picture in the area where they were lost.

Report your lost pet and search for him/her on Petco Love Lost. This is a national lost and found database where you can search for your pet with a picture of him/her and post a picture of them so others in your community can see them. If your pet is microchipped, you can also search by microchip. If you don’t have a picture of your pet and your pet is not microchipped, you can also search through a list of any pets found in the area where your pet was lost.

Call the local animal control office that serves the area where your pet was lost. Animal control may have already found your pet or they may have been contacted by someone who found your pet. Find out which animal control office to contact here.

Search for your lost pet on Facebook. There are many local Facebook groups designed to reunite lost pets with their families. When you search “lost and found” under Facebook groups, you will see many groups to join and look for your pet. You can also report your pet as missing and post his/her picture in these groups. “Lost and Found Pets in South Jersey” is one of the biggest local groups. We post lost pets to a group called “HBPAC Lost & Found Pets”.

Report your lost pet on Nextdoor. Many people use this app and this may help with finding your pet.

Reclaim Your Pet

If your lost pet winds up here at Homeward Bound, we encourage you to come to the shelter as soon as possible to reclaim your pet. Pets not reclaimed after 7 days may be adopted out to another family. Pets can be reclaimed between 11AM-5PM Tuesday through Thursday and between 11AM and 4PM Friday to Sunday. We are closed on Mondays.

In order to reclaim your pet, you will need to bring the following with you:
1. Valid, current form of government-issued identification
2. At least two of the following documents to establish proof of ownership

Microchip information
Rabies certificate
Pictures of your pet
Veterinarian records
Municipal pet license

3. Reclaim fee of $50.00, plus an additional $4.00 per day after the first day.
4. All dogs must have a leash and collar and all cats must be in a carrier in order to be reclaimed–we offer those for purchase if needed.