Lost or found an animal? Take a breath. Here is what to do.
When a pet goes missing, it is natural to post everywhere at once. Start with these steps instead. Local alerts are part of what we plan to build.
Why posting online is not enough.
When a dog goes missing, the owner joins every local group and puts up posters. Meanwhile the finder took the dog to a vet across town that never sees those posts. Nobody connects the two.
If your pet has a Rehome record, its microchip and description could be checked by shelters, vets and animal services in one place.
If you lost a pet: the first hour
Search close to home first
Put their unwashed blanket or your worn T-shirt by the door with some water. Skip food, which draws other animals.
Call your microchip company
Mark your pet as missing and check your phone number and address are right.
Call local vets and the animal service
Call nearby vets and your local animal service. Have a photo, the chip number and any markings ready.
Walk the streets slowly
Go out at quiet times, early or late, with treats. Lost cats often hide very close to home.
What happens at a microchip scan
The vet scans the whole body
Chips can move from the neck to the shoulder or chest, so the vet scans slowly all over.
The chip number is looked up
The number is checked against chip databases to find the owner and see if the pet is reported missing.
The vet calls the owner
The vet calls the owner directly. The finder does not have to share their own details.
What Rehome will never do: hand over an animal on photo alone.
Some people claim lost pets using photos copied from social media. On Rehome, the microchip and vet records would be checked before any pet goes home with anyone.
Questions people ask
Would lost pet alerts help you?
Join the waitlist. If we build this, local vets and rescuers could see your pet’s record the moment it is found.