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Get Help in person.

Post flyers around the area that you lost your animal and within any distance you think the animal may have traveled; as well as grocery stores, community centers, veterinary offices, traffic intersections, pet supply stores, and other locations. Also, place advertisements in newspapers and with radio stations. Include your pet’s sex, age, weight, breed, color, and any special markings. When describing your pet, leave out at least one identifying characteristic and ask the person who finds your pet to describe it.

Several sites exist for networking lost animals’ descriptions and pictures. Try posting on the following sites:

Craigslist.org: Make a detailed post, including a picture, under the “Lost+Found” and “Pets” sections.

Facebook.com: Post under Lost & Found Pets – Hampton Roads, VAVirginia Lost and Found Cats, or any other pages dedicated to lost/found animals and have friends share your post.

Nextdoor.com: Create a “Lost” post to share with neighbors.

The Center for Lost Pets

Fido Finder

HelpingLostPets.com: National Lost/Found Pet registry that is FREE to use. When a pet is listed, email/text alerts are sent to members in the area and you can create a flyer from your listing.

Lost Pet USA


Search your neighborhood.
Walk or drive through your neighborhood several times each day. Ask neighbors, letter carriers, and delivery people if they have seen your pet. Hand out a recent photograph of your pet and information on how you can be reached if your pet is found.

Reach out.
Contact local emergency clinics and vet clinics in case your pet has been injured and was taken somewhere other than animal control. File lost reports with nearby county shelters and rescue groups and, if your pet is microchipped, be sure to put in a lost report with the chip company.

Notify Animal Control in your city and neighboring cities as well.

Chesapeake Animal Control: 757-382-8080

Hampton Animal Control: 757-727-8311

Newport News Animal Control: 757-595-7387

Norfolk Animal Control: 757-664-7387

Suffolk Animal Control: 757-514-7855

Virginia Beach Animal Control: 757-385-4444

Isle of Wight Animal Control: 757-365-6318

Franklin County Animal Control: 757-562-8605

Kill Devil Hills, NC Animal Control: 252-480-4047

Dare County, NC Animal Control: 252-475-5620

Elizabeth City, NC Animal Control: 252-331-1500

If You’ve Lost Your Pet

If you have lost your animal, act quickly! 24 hours can make a big difference in your ability to recover your animal.