Lost and Found

If You Lost A Pet

If You Find A Dog or Cat WITH a License Tag or Tattoo

If You Find A Dog or Cat WITHOUT a License Tag or Tattoo

Holding Periods For Lost/Stray Animals

There are four ways to find your lost pet through Animal Care and Regulation Division. Remember, it is your responsibility to look for your pet.

1. Click on view photos and descriptions of Stray and Found Animals to see all the lost dogs and cats presently at the two shelters. You can also receive an email when a particular breed arrives at the shelter for the next 30-days just in case your lost pet has not yet arrived.

2. Lost animals picked up north of Commercial Boulevard go to the Pompano Beach Shelter and animals picked up south of Commercial Boulevard go to the Fort Lauderdale Shelter.

3. If you lost a dog or cat that was wearing a Broward County license tag, leave a message on the Lost and Found Line at 954-359-1313 ext. 2474. Staff will call you back if the animal is at one of our animal shelters. We strongly recommend you visit the shelter in case your pet lost it's license tag.
4. If you lost a pet not wearing a license tag, you must visit the animal shelter to look for your pet and to complete a Lost Report. We will notify you by phone if we find the animal at a later date. We also recommend that you visit the animal shelter to look for your pet at least every other day.

If You Find A Dog or Cat With a License Tag or Tattoo:

If you find a lost dog or cat, there are five ways to return the pet to its owner.

1. The Pet License Information Database allows you to find the owner using the license tag, tattoo number, or owners last name. The database contains more than 800,000 records of dogs and cats registered in Broward County since 1999.
   
   After entering the license or tattoo number, it searches for the owner's name, address, phone number, and pet description. There is also a search feature for partial license tag or tattoo numbers. If the description of the animal matches the animal you found, then call the owner.
   
2. The License Tag Series List is useful for 2004 license tags when the owner information is not in the Pet License Information Database because there is a lag time between when a veterinarian issues the license tag and when it's added to the database. It contains the license tag series of numbers issued to each clinic/organization for Fiscal Year 2004 (October 1, 2003 through September 30, 2004).
   
   You match the license tag from the lost animal to the clinic that issued it. Then call the clinic for the owner information. The List contains the phone numbers for all the veterinary clinics and organizations that issue Broward County license tags.
   
3. Call the Lost and Found Line (954-359-1313 ext. 2427.) and leave a message with the following information (if available):
   • Your name
   • Phone number
   • Detailed description of the animal including type (cat or dog), breed, sex, and color(s).
   • License tag number, license year, and color of the license tag.
   • Tattoo number (located on the inner right thigh).
   
   Staff will trace the license tag or tattoo number and call you back with the animal owner's name, address, and phone number. If staff can't reach you, they will call the pet's owner and give them your name and phone number.
   
4. Bring the animal to one of the Division's animal shelters. Click here for addresses, maps and hours of operations.
   
5. Call the following numbers to have an Animal Care Officer pick up the animal:
   • From Monday-Friday between 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., call Animal Care Dispatch at 954-359-1313, ext. 2466.
   • From Monday-Friday between 5:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays call Fire Central Dispatch at 954-765-5124 or 954-765-5125.

If You Find A Dog or Cat WITHOUT a License Tag or Tattoo You have three options for returning the lost pet.

1. Call the Lost and Found Line (954-359-1313 ext. 2474.) and leave a message with the following information (if available):
   • Your name
   • Phone number
   • Detailed description of the animal including type (cat or dog), breed, sex, and color(s).
   
   Staff will call you back no later than the next business day if the pet owner has filed a Lost Report for the animal you found.
   
2. Bring the animal to one of the Division's animal shelters. Click here for addresses, maps and hours of operations.
   
3. Call the following numbers to have an Animal Care Officer pick up the animal:
   • From Monday-Friday between 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., call Animal Care Dispatch at 954-359-1313, ext. 2474.
   • From Monday-Friday between 5:30 p.m. to 7 a.m. and 24 hours a day on weekends and holidays call Fire Central Dispatch at 954-765-5124 or 954-765-5125.

Holding Periods For Lost/Stray Animals

For dogs and cats wearing any identification, Animal Care will hold the animal for a minimum of five days (not including holidays and when the shelter is closed). Identification can include an animal license tag, tattoo, microchip, or ID tag.

For dogs and cats without any identification, Animal Care will hold the animal for a minimum of three days (not including holidays and when the shelter is closed).

After the holding period is over and the animal was not returned to its owner, Animal Care will evaluate the pet for adoption. The animals determined not adoptable are either transferred to a nonprofit rescue group for adoption or euthanized.