If you have lost your dog, don’t wait. The sooner you begin your search for your dog, the better!
1. Go door-to-door. Talk to your neighbors, their children, the mail carrier, friends, other routine service people (sanitation people, paper delivery, etc.), lawn service personnel, and any local veterinary clinics or grooming parlors. Tell them that your dog is lost and you badly want him/her back. Make sure to leave your cell phone number with them so they can alert you if they locate your dog.
2. Make a search team of four and split up. Each team member is responsible for a direction (north, south, east and west) Make sure each team member has a leash to attach to the dog if it is found. Each team member should share cell phone numbers with each other and should carry their phone with them at all times. Start your team search on foot, calling your dog by name in a positive voice, shaking a jar of dog treats, or squeaking a favorite toy in the air, etc. Look for areas in your determined direction that may be enticing to your wandering dog. Your dog may be more likely to be in an area where there is food, water, shelter, shade, or warmth. A neighboring yard with another dog or pet may also entice your dog. Remember, dogs take shortcuts. So, you should look down side yards, wooded areas, parking lots, etc that your dog may be traveling through.
3. Make a flyer for your lost dog. Make sure to title the flyer, “Lost Dog” in a large, bold font. Include a large color photo of your dog below the title. Then include your dog’s name, breed (or short one-line description), the date the dog was lost, and the last place your dog was seen. Post a cell phone number on the flyer, and remember to carry your cell phone with you while you search for your dog. Consider offering a reward that will entice a thief or good Samaritan to return the dog safely to you. Display flyers at grocery stores, gas stations, veterinary clinics, pet stores, parks, swimming pools, ball fields, or any other populated place within a one- to two-mile radius of where your dog was seen last. Make sure your flyers are large, water-resistant, sturdy, and posted at an appropriate height/location so that passing cars will be able to quickly read them.
4. Go to—do not call—your local animal control department and surrounding shelters. Go to each shelter and personally look for your dog. Remember to bring your “lost dog flyer” with you to post on their lost-and-found bulletin boards. It is very important that you go visit these places personally. If possible, be persistent and visit them each day. Do not call them or rely on the shelter staff or volunteers to find your dog for you.
5. Notify the police and drop off your flyers at local precincts.
6. Place a lost dog ad in your local papers.
7. Utilize social media in your search. Share your flyer on social media. Make your posting public and encourage your friends on FaceBook, twitter, and Instagram to share your post. Also, search for your neighborhood or community as a FaceBook group or on the NextDoor app. Share your flyer in these groups and on any lost pet groups.
If you’re in the St. Louis area and have lost your pet, here’s some helpful contact information:
St. Louis –
Animal Protective Association of Missouri
1705 S. Hanley Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63144
314-645-4610
Bridgeton Animal Control
11955 Natural Bridge Rd.
St. Louis, MO 63044
314-739-7557
Crestwood Animal Control
1 Detjen Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63126
314-729-4868
Florissant Animal Control
1 St. Ferdinand Park Dr.
St. Louis, MO 63031
314-839-7655
Humane Society of Missouri
1201 Mackland Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63110
314-647-8800 or 314-951-1562
Westport Area Center in Maryland Heights
2400 Drilling Service Rd.
Maryland Heights, MO 63043
314-951-1588
Chesterfield Valley Center at Boone’s Crossing
17357 Eddison Ave.
Chesterfield, MO 63005
636-530-0806
St. Louis County Animal Care and Control
10521 Baur Boulevard
Olivette, MO 63132
314-615-0650
City of St. Louis Animal Care and Control
2801 Clark Ave.
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-657-1500 – main
314-612-5310 – shelter
Stray Rescue St. Louis
2320 Pine St.
St. Louis, MO 63103
314-771-6121
St. Charles County-
Dardenne Prairie Adoption and Wellness Shelter
12678 Veterans Memorial Parkway
Wentzville, MO 63385
636-332-5900
O’Fallon Animal Control
100 N. Main
O’Fallon MO 63366
636-379-5683
St. Charles City Animal Control
2835 W. Randolph
St. Charles, MO 63301
636-949-3395
St. Charles County Humane Services
4850 Mid Rivers Mall Dr.
St. Peters, MO 63376
636-949-PETS
Five Acres Humane Society
1099 Pralle Lane
St. Charles, MO 63303
636-949-9918
Missouri-Other
Animal Welfare Association of Warren County
PO Box 122
Warrenton, MO 63383
636-297-0486
Warrenton City Animal Control
3 Coleman Dr, Warrenton, MO 63383
636-456-8707
Franklin County Humane Society
1222 W. Main St.
Union, MO 63084
636-583-4300
St. Clair Animal Shelter
#1 Paul Parks Dr.
St. Clair, MO 63077
636-629-1313
PALS
4287 MO-47
Troy, MO 63379
636-338-1818
Jefferson County –
Arnold Animal Control
2912 Tenbrook
Arnold, MO 63010
636-282-2387
Festus Animal Control
950 N. 5th St.
Festus, MO 63028
636-937-6646
Crystal City Animal Control
130 Mississippi Avenue
Crystal City, MO 63019
636-937-4614
Jefferson County Animal Control
7105 Shelter Rd.
Barnhart, MO 63012
636-797-5577
Pevely Animal Control
501 Dunklin Industrial Dr.
PO Box 358
Pevely, MO 63070
636-475-7405
Open Door Animal Sanctuary
6065 Duda Rd.
House Springs, MO 63051
636-671-3643
Missouri Lost Pets
STL Lost Pets
Fido Finder
Pet Amber Alert
Pet Harbor
Missouri Lost and Found Paws
Lost and Found Pets-St. Louis, MO
Lost/Found/Sightings of Missing Pets in St. Charles County