How To Find Your Lost Dog Or Cat In Minnesota

It’s the worst case scenario for any pet owner. More lost pets are reported on the 4th of July than any other holiday, according to the American Kennel Club, and many owners don’t know where to start when it comes to finding their four-legged family members.

However, it’s not just due to fireworks. “There are many factors that influence this,” said Dallas Harsa, vice president of sales and marketing at AKC Reunite. “Barbecues, many people coming in and out of the house, and even the noise of the fireworks may cause pets to panic and they will try to flee somewhere. They don’t know where the noise is coming from and they try to escape because they don’t understand.”

In Minnesota, there are many steps you can take to locate your lost dog or cat. Last year, more than 4,300 animals were brought to the city Animal Shelter at 212 17th Ave. N. in Minneapolis, according to Minnesota Animal Care & Control. If a lost animal is brought in, MACC will check each animal for pet licenses, identification tags and microchips. Almost 98 percent of animals are reunited with their owners, MACC's website said.

Currently, MACC has 31 dogs and 41 cats at the shelter. While MACC does not take lost reports, owners can bring in a poster to hang on our bulletin board.

There are other places you can check for your missing pet, including:

• Post a photo of your pet on Patch and we can help you find them
• Animal Humane Society - Post information about the animal to their Lost Pets Bulletin Board or Found Pets Bulletin Board
• Lost Dogs MN and Lost Cats MN on Facebook
• Craig's List - Be sure to look on the lost/found pages or the pets pages
• Petfinder
• Nextdoor Pet Directory

The Animal Humane Society in Minnesota encourages owners to tell family, friends and neighbors, in addition to posting fliers around the neighborhood. Be sure to alert your veterinary clinic and microchip company to let them know your pet is missing. Make sure they have up-to-date contact information for you.

If you find a missing pet, AHS said to first check for identification. If there's an ID tag, contact the owner immediately. If there is no ID tag, take the animal to a local veterinary office to be scanned for a microchip. AHS said to also check the above sites for any matching lost pet reports.

If you are unable to locate the owner, the animal can be taken to any AHS location. Call the organization's Pet Helpline at 952-435-7738 to learn about the intake process.