AN IMPORTANT NOTICE REGARDING LOST PETS
We only accept a limited number of animals on an emergency basis, including the following:
- Stray animals found outside of the city who are in distress due to illness or injury
- Owner surrender animals who are in distress due to illness or injury or who are unable to find any alternative care arrangements
- Transfers from partner agencies who have limited or no space for housing animals
If you have found a stray pet outside the city that is sick or injured, please call us at 780-491-3522 to book an appointment. For animals found inside the City of Edmonton, please call 311. For tips on helping healthy animals find their way home or for finding your own lost pet, please see below.
Lost a pet?
Outside of Edmonton?
EHS takes in lost/stray animals from outside the City of Edmonton.
View found pets in EHS’ through the link below
or call our admitting team at 780-491-3522.
Stray pets in EHS’ care are also posted on PawBoost.com.
In the City of Edmonton?
Strays found within the City of Edmonton are taken to
Animal Care & Control Centre (ACCC).
See found pets in ACCC’s care by clicking the link below, or call 311.
Steps to Find Your Lost Pet
We’re sorry to hear about your missing pet. Follow this checklist to help them find their way home:
- Check with your local animal control by-law or shelter. Links to found pets in our care and in the City of Edmonton’s Animal Care & Control Centre can be found above. You should also check with your local municipality or county.
- Look closest to home first. Talk with neighbours, the mail carrier and people outside in the area. Also ask neighbours to check hiding spaces such as garages, under decks or porches, and around sheds. Often pets will stay in your area, especially cats, but may find a place to hide. If you’ve lost a cat, the best time to look for them is between dusk and dawn — when streets are quiet, or when it is dark. A lost and hiding cat will come out in the dark to look for food. Take a flashlight with you and search under parked cars, in yards and under bushes as well as in alleys.
- Create a lost pet posting online. Use websites like PawBoost and Kijiji to create a posting, which you can then share to your personal social media as well as your local lost and found pet groups and community groups on Facebook.
- Put up lost pet posters around the neighbourhood. When you create your online listing with Pawboost, you will also get a free poster template that you can use. Be sure to complete the information by describing them as best as possible and having a clear a photo. Print and post on street posts as you search your neighbourhood, as well as in nearby grocery stores, laundromats, pet stores and vet clinics. To avoid littering, please make sure these posters are removed when your pet is found.
- Ensure your pet is wearing a collar or harness with an up-to-date identification tag. If someone finds your lost pet, they can refer to your pet’s identification tag to find your phone number and contact you directly. This prevents your pet from having to be brought to an animal shelter or veterinary clinic to have their microchip or tattoo traced, expediting reunification. If your contact information changes, remember to update it with your veterinarian, microchip company, and the municipality your pet license is registered to (such as the City of Edmonton’s Animal Care & Control Centre).
- Set up a temporary space to welcome them home. Leave out fresh food and water outside on a porch or in a sheltered area close to your home, or consider a cardboard box lined with an old towel or other familiar items to your pet. This not only offers an incentive to stay but could save its life in harsh weather. Check the box and food supply regularly, especially during quiet evening and early morning hours.
Most importantly, don’t give up! Ensure you continue to look for your pet beyond a few days as occasionally animals may take some time to arrive at an animal shelter. Some pets even get returned to their guardians after having been missing for months or years!
Found a pet?
Thank you for helping this lost pet find thier way home! Before bringing the pet into a shelter, please see the tips below depending on what kind of pet you have found to try and reunite them with their family first.
IMPORTANT: if you think the animal needs to be brought into a shelter, please call first to make an appointment.
– EHS can only accept strays outside of Edmonton by appointment, so we can be prepared for each pet’s arrival and ensure we have the space and resources available at our shelter to provide the best possible care. You can reach our admitting team by calling 780-491-3522.
– For strays found inside the City of Edmonton, please contact Animal Care & Control Centre by calling 311.
Other Lost & Found Pet Resources
Help animals in need.