LOST PETS

Stray animals come into the shelter on a daily basis. Should your pet go missing, we are the first place you should contact! We are not limited to just dogs and cats - we have reunited other animals like goats, budgies, iguanas, pigs, and more with their owners. 

The most important step to take is to call a report in to the Humane Society immediately.  Cats and dogs arrive at the shelter daily and those that are deemed to be a stray (no owner known), are held in the City Pound according to the terms of the City by-laws.  This gives owners the opportunity to search for their missing pet.  We are only required to hold a stray for 5 days before placing them up for adoption or deciding what our next steps are. During peak seasons when the shelter is at capacity, we are forced to adhere pretty closely to the 5 day holding period, so filing a report of your missing pet with us is imperative.  

Our first priority is to reunite pets with their owners.  If this is not successful, we attempt to re-home as many pets as we can.  

What to do when your pet goes missing:

• File a missing report with the Humane Society immediately – call 705-949-3573 to reach our office. Our open hours are from 12:00-5:00, but if you call outside of these times you can leave us a message and someone will get back to you as soon as possible.
• If possible, provide us with a picture of your pet - email info@ssmhumanesociety.ca .
• Call or drop by for an update on the status of your lost report.
• When called to view a pet matching the description of yours, please come asap!

Your participation in finding your pet is vital to your success.  Your responsibility does not end with filing a lost report – we can have more than 250 lost reports from within the City limits and outlying areas at one time. 

Ensure that your pet-sitter is aware of the steps to take as well should your pet go missing on their watch.  All too often we have seen people return from a 2 week vacation and they have to start looking for their pet that disappeared at the beginning of their holiday because the pet-sitter didn’t know what to do.  

Other steps to take in the search for your missing pet:

• Post on 'Lost and Found' pet pages on social media
• Post notices in your neighbourhood or the area they went missing (we have reunited pets lost during travel with owners in Toronto and Barrie because the owner contacted us),
• Call radio stations, post ads in the paper
• Check sheds and garages in your neighbourhood.  Your cat or dog may be confined and can’t get home to you

The best thing you can do to prevent your pet from going on the missing list is to not allow them to run free (and ensure that they have proper identification should they accidentally get away from you).  A collar and dog/cat city license is the best means of being reunited with Fido or Fluffy.  You can provide your cat with a break-away collar and I.D. tag.  Veterinarians can provide microchip identification for both cats and dogs.