Step 1

If you find a friendly animal

• If it seems safe to approach, you can look for a collar and ID tags. If you find a phone number on a pet's tags, you can contact the owner and let them know you found their pet.
• If you can't find tags or are not comfortable looking, bring the animal to our shelter. We will:
  • Check for tags
  • Scan for a microchip
  • Work to reunite the animal with its owners
• If you cannot hold onto the animal while looking for its owner, contact 311.

If you find an unfriendly or unsafe animal

If the animal does not seem safe to approach, contact 311 and make a report.

If an animal is sick or injured

• If you find an injured or sick animal, contact 311 and we will respond.
• If the owner is present, it's their responsibility to get treatment for their pet.
• If the owner is unable or unwilling to do this, they can give us ownership of the animal.

If you find a healthy cat

We do not impound healthy stray cats because:

• Outdoor cats are not prohibited in the City of Minneapolis.
• Cats have a homing instinct, meaning they have the ability to find their way home. Leaving a healthy cat where you find it can actually make it more likely that it will return home. 

311 

Step 2

Ask around

Stray pets often live close to where you find them. Let people in the area know you are looking for the pet's owner.

• Knock on doors.
• Walk the pet around the area.
• Ask people you see if they know the pet and its owner.

Step 3

Check lists of pets that have been reported to be lost

• See dogs reported to be lost - Pet Harbor
• See cats reported to be lost - Pet Harbor
• See small animals reported to be lost - Pet Harbor
• See Lost Dog Minnesota - Facebook page
• See Lost Cats Minnesota - Facebook page
• See Craigslist - Check the "Lost and Found" or "Pets" sections
• See NextDoor

Step 4

Fill out and submit a found animal report

Pet Harbor will email you if matching animals are reported to be lost.