Lost & Found

Lost or found a pet? We're here to help.

What to Do If You’ve Lost a Pet

If you have lost a pet, please call the shelter at your earliest available opportunity at (703) 931-9241 and check our Found Pets page.

We are required to hold stray animals (animals that do not have an identified owner) for 5-10 days, depending on if they have 'signs of ownership,' which can be a collar, microchip, a spay/neuter tattoo, etc. After this holding period, any stray animal can be put up for adoption, transferred to another shelter, put into a foster home, and in rare cases, euthanized (only if serious medical issues exist or there are issues of aggression).

Tips For Finding Your Lost Pet

Within The First Hour

Alert your neighbors
Immediately alert your neighbors about your lost pet by using the methods your community utilizes most to communicate. This could be Nextdoor, a Facebook group, or a neighborhood email list. Be sure to include a description of your pet (color, size, gender), last known location (or closest intersection), and a photo.
Contact the microchip company
If your pet has a microchip, contact the microchip company right away to report them as lost, and update your contact information as needed. If you don’t know what company your pet’s microchip is registered to, visit the AAHA website which will allow you to enter your pet’s microchip number and identify the microchip company. If you don’t know your pet’s microchip number, contact the facility that microchipped your pet and they can provide information.

Within The Next Few Hours

Start searching Petco Love Lost
Upload your lost pet’s photo to Petco Love Lost. Your pet’s uploaded photo will be scanned against photos of found animals at shelters and those reported by the community.
Set up a Pawboost Alert.
Post to your local lost pet Facebook groups.
There are several lost and found pet Facebook groups in our area: Northern Virginia Lost & Found Pets, Lost & Found Dogs - DC Metro, Lost & Found Pets of Maryland/DC/Virginia, etc.
Make flyers and walk the neighborhood
PetFBI has an easy online lost pet flyer template that you can print from home! Then, walk the neighborhood, speak with neighbors, postal carriers, UPS/Amazon drivers, landscapers, and tell them about your missing pet.

Within The First 24 Hours And Beyond

Visit your county animal shelter to look for your pet.
You are the best person to identify your pet, so we recommend that you visit the shelter to see if your pet has been found. If your pet was lost in Arlington County or Falls Church City, VA, you will visit our location.
Hang lost pet posters.
Hang posters with duct tape at major intersections within a 3-mile radius of where your dog was lost or a 1-mile radius of where your cat was lost.
Look for your pet frequently on our website.
If you see your pet’s photo, please call the shelter immediately. You can review all animals who arrived as a stray on our Found Pets page.

Once You've Found Your Pet

Update Your Reports
Wherever you posted your pet as missing (posters, websites, social media) be sure to update that your pet has been found. Volunteers and shelter staff members review lost pet reports daily, and having updated information ensures time is dedicated to animals that are still missing.
Collar & ID Tag
Make sure your pet is always wearing a collar and ID tags. Only 5% of lost pets not wearing identification ever get reunited with their owners. Inexpensive tags can also be purchased at AWLA. Include your phone number and address. Don’t forget to update the microchip and tag information as your information changes!
Microchip
Having your pet microchipped is a quick, painless and easy way to ensure that if your pet gets loose, you will be contacted if they come into a shelter or veterinarian's office. You can have your pet microchipped at AWLA or at any veterinarian’s office.

Click here for more tips from PetCo LoveLost.

File a LOST Report with PetCo LoveLost

AWLA is using PetCo LoveLost to help lost and found dogs and cats get home faster. PetCo LoveLost is a facial recognition technology to match photos of the pet you are submitting. This database includes pets reported by individuals as well as shelter partners in our area. By uploading a photo of your lost or found pet and reporting it to this system, you make that pet visible to pet parents searching for their pet – making happy reunions just a few clicks away.

Submit A Report on PetCo LoveLost

Report A Lost Pet (Not A Cat Or Dog)

Check Found Reports

It's important to regularly check for your pet on our Found Pet page and the PetCo Love Lost page.

AWLA Found Reports

PetCo LoveLost

On AWLA's site, please note if the animal says “In custody” it means the animal is in the custody of AWLA. If it says “found report” under the animal, it means we have received a found report for this animal, but it is not in our custody. Our website updates this list in real time.

How To Reclaim Your Pet at AWLA

In order to identify and reclaim your lost pet, you must do the following, according to the Arlington County code and animal shelter requirements:

Visit the shelter in person or call AWLA at (703) 931-9241. After regular business hours, call this number and stay on the line to speak to our answering service.
Owners should bring the following items with them to pick up their pet:
- Proof of ownership such as multiple photographs or veterinary records.
- For dogs: a copy of their dog license (if the owner is an Arlington County resident). If owners do not have a current dog license, then they must bring a copy of their rabies vaccination certificate and apply for a license at the animal shelter before taking the dog home. The fee for a license is $10 for a one year license.
- For dogs and cats: written proof of current rabies vaccination. A rabies tag cannot serve as proof of current vaccination. If the owner does not have proof of a current rabies vaccination, a $25 deposit is required that will be refunded if the owner supplies proof of current rabies vaccination to the animal shelter within 14 days of reclaiming the animal.
- A leash or carrier to safely transport your pet home.
Pay boarding fees: a boarding fee of $40 per calendar day your pet is in the shelter must be paid to the shelter. If you are facing financial hardship and unable to pay the boarding fees, please call AWLA at (703) 931-9241 to speak with a team member.

What to Do If You’ve Found a Pet

You can significantly increase the chances of reuniting the pet with their family by following the steps below.

The majority of lost or stray animals have families who love them and are typically found less than one mile from their homes. To keep pet families together, it is best to try to locate a lost pet’s family prior to bringing the animal to the shelter. On average, only 3-4% of the stray cats and only 15-20% of the stray dogs brought to the shelter are returned to their owners.

DOGS & SMALL COMPANION PETS (RABBITS, GUINEA PIGS, ETC):

Within The First Hour

DISCLAIMER: If the animal is injured, sick or malnourished, please take them to the nearest veterinarian clinic or your city’s shelter, or contact your local animal control agency. Injured, sick or malnourished animals found within Arlington County, VA can be brought to the Animal Welfare League of Arlington at 2650 S Arlington Mill Dr, Arlington VA 22206, or contact (703) 931-9241 for assistance.

Check for ID
Some pets have a collar with the phone number stitched in, or a tag with a number that you can call to locate the pet parent.
Alert your neighbors

Take a photo and share it with your neighbors by using Nextdoor, a Facebook group, a neighborhood email list, etc. Be sure to include where the animal was found and how to get in contact with you. Be descriptive, include as much detail as possible, and be sure to include where the animal was found and how to get in contact with you. It is important that you know the cross streets and/or the address where the pet was found.
Take a walk
If possible, take a walk around the neighborhood to see if anyone might recognize the animal and know who they belong to.
Check for a microchip
Bring the pet to the nearest veterinarian clinic or shelter to get a free microchip scan.

Within The Next Few Hours

Bringing the animal indoors to safety
Bringing a new animal into your home can pose risks to you and/or your household. As a precaution, please keep all pets separate and wash your hands frequently when handling the found animal. Disease and illness can spread quickly.
Start searching local lost & found pet alert sites
The owner may have posted their pet as missing, so be sure to check websites such as Petco Love Lost, Pawboost and social media groups.
Post the animal as found
If you don’t see any lost posts matching the pet you found, submit a Found Pet Report to Petco Love Lost. You can also submit to Pawboost and social media groups (reference groups are listed below).
We recommend creating only one post on Facebook, and then sharing that post to various groups available instead of creating multiple posts
Make flyers and walk the neighborhood
PetFBI has an easy online found pet flyer template that you can print from home! If you need help creating and printing a flyer a member of our Return-to-Home Team can assist you at our shelter. Then, walk the neighborhood, speak with neighbors, postal carriers, UPS/Amazon drivers, landscapers, and tell them about your found pet.

Within The First 24 Hours And Beyond

If you are unable to locate an owner or unable to continue caring for the found animal:

Animals Found In Arlington County or Falls Church City, VA

If the animal was found in Arlington County, VA and you are not in a position to continue caring for them while attempting to locate an owner, please visit the Animal Welfare League of Arlington to work with our Pet Resource Center. We ask that you please bring a valid photo ID.

We hold stray animals for 5-10 days. After this five day holding period, any stray animal can be put up for adoption, transferred to another shelter, put into a foster home, and in rare cases, euthanized (only if serious medical issues exist or there are issues of aggression).

Animals Found Outside of Arlington County or Falls Church City, VA

CATS FOUND OUTDOORS:

Healthy Cats

If you find a healthy adult cat outdoors, alert your neighbors. Snap a photo of the pet and share it by using the methods your community utilizes most to communicate.
Do not take the cat into your home, or move it unless it is sick or injured. Found cats may be an indoor/outdoor cat and their owners may wait several days before reporting their cat missing or looking for their cat at a nearby shelter. Cats typically don’t wander more than one-mile from their home base and are able to find their way back on their own.

If you feel that a cat is truly lost and in distress, please call AWLA at (703) 931-9241.

Sick or Injured Cats

Community Cats

KITTENS FOUND OUTDOORS:

When you find stray kittens, their best chance at survival is leaving them where they are and waiting for their mom. Do not pick them up or move them until you’ve reviewed our Kitten Information page.

File a FOUND Report with PetCo LoveLost

Submit A Report on PetCo LoveLost

Report A Found Pet (Not A Cat Or Dog)

Click here for more tips from PetCo LoveLost.

Local Area Animal Shelters

If you live outside of Arlington County or Falls Church City, VA, please refer to this map to other area animal shelters.

Lost & Found FAQs

How does AWLA handle stray or lost pets?

Pets without identification (microchip, collar, other identification) are held as stray for at least five days according to the Arlington County Code.
Pets with collars, microchips, tattoos, or other identification are held for at least 10 days (as per Virginia State code) while we make every effort to contact their owners.
Pets not claimed by owners may become candidates for our adoption program. Animals may not be adopted until after their stray holding period (five or ten days depending on identification) has expired.

How do I reclaim my lost pet from AWLA?

In order to identify and reclaim your lost pet, you must do the following, according to the Arlington County code and animal shelter requirements:

Owners should bring proof of ownership such as photographs or veterinary records when coming to reclaim their pets.
- If the owner is an Arlington County resident and does not have a current dog license, then they must bring a copy of their rabies vaccination certificate and apply for a license at the animal shelter before taking the dog home. The fee for a license is $10 for a one year license.
- Dog and cat owners must bring written proof of current rabies vaccination. A rabies tag cannot serve as proof of current vaccination.
If the owner does not have proof of a current rabies vaccination, a $25 refundable deposit is required that will be refunded if the owner supplies proof of current rabies vaccination to the animal shelter within 14 days of reclaiming the animal.
A boarding fee of $40 per calendar day your pet is in the shelter must be paid to the shelter. If you are facing financial hardship and unable to pay the boarding fees, please call AWLA at (703) 931-9241 to speak with a team member.

What does AWLA do to reunite pets with their owners?

Staff call all phone numbers listed on any available identification.
Staff scan all pets for a microchip. If we find a microchip, we call the registration company for any available contact information and call all phone numbers available.
If a stray pet is found in another jurisdiction, staff contact the animal shelter for that jurisdiction for potential lost reports and to file a found report.

What do I do if I find a cat outside?

A cat found outdoors that is friendly and appears healthy likely belongs to someone in your neighborhood. Cats have a far better chance of reuniting with their owners when they’re left in the area in which they’re found. Less than five percent of stray cats that are brought into shelters are reclaimed by their owners.
Arlington County does not have leash laws for cats, so cats may roam freely outdoors. If an outdoor cat is unapproachable and/or ear-tipped, it is most likely a community cat. Click here for more information about the Community Cat Program at AWLA.
AWLA takes in stray cats on a case-by-case basis. Please call us at (703) 931-9241 or email mail@awla.org for more information.