Hundreds of dogs and cats come into our Riverside County shelters every day via the public and officers in the field.

If you have lost an animal, there are several ways you can better the chance of locating your pet.

First, check the following links:

Riverside City/County Shelter
- Lost or Stray Pets ONLY
- ALL Animals

Coachella Shelter
- Lost or Stray Pets ONLY
- ALL Animals

Blythe Shelter
- Lost or Stray Pets ONLY
- ALL Animals

Banning Shelter
- Lost or Stray Pets ONLY
- ALL Animals

If you do not see your pet, make sure to expand the search to shelters throughout California with this system by defining your search at the above links, scrolling all the way to the bottom of the page and clicking "Not finding the right Animal? Click here for Maximum Search" The best option is to search ALL Animals and keep the search very wide just in case your animal is not categorized correctly, i.e., your dog may be in the "small" category, but you consider him "medium."

Second, visit our Lost & Found Message Board
Look through messages and/or post a message on our website's public Lost and Found board.

Third, visit our County Shelters
and other local shelters, and look through the animals in the shelters. Do not simply depend on the on-line photos to locate your pet.

While you are at the shelters, be sure to fill out a "Lost" posting and look through the "Found" postings.

Fourth, check the above resources every day
Search the web site and the shelters every day. Your pet may get entered in the system or be brought in after you have visited.

Additional Advice

• Visit ALL local animal shelters at least every third day. (Telephone personnel CANNOT tell if your pet has arrived unless it is wearing identification).
  List of other local animal shelters
• At each shelter:
  • Check all kennels.
  • Check the Quarrantine Board (in the main hallway) for missing dogs.
  • Check Cat Quarrantine for missing cats.
  • File a lost report at the front desk.
  • Check "Found" list (located outside the front door).
  • Check "Deceased" file.
• Check the Lost and Found ads in local newspapers (daily).
• Advertise your lost pet in the local newspapers (if offering a reward, we suggest that you NOT state the amount in the ad).
• Canvas your neighborhood. Sometimes offering even a small reward to neighborhood youngsters will result in a very diligent search.
• Check with your postal and newspaper carriers.
• Distribute fliers (with a picture of your animal if possible).
• If your pet is wearing an ID tag from another jurisdiction, vet office, or residence, contact that agency and update your address and phone number. (Pets with ID tags have been traced from places as remote as Guam!)

Do not give up - keep checking

When your pet comes home, make sure that you purchase a local license tag and that your pet wears it at all times.

Remember, a license is your pet's best chance to be reunited with you.

Consider having your pet microchipped