Losing a family pet can be a sad and stressful experience. For many people, a pet is like a member of the family. If your pet goes missing in Charlotte or another part of Mecklenburg County, you actually have a few options for tracking your pet.
The first thing to do if you have lost your pet in Mecklenburg County is to call the county information line at 311. They will put you in touch with Mecklenburg County Animal Control. You’ll also want to visit Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Control in person at 8315 Byrum Drive and look through protected animals there. Animal Control recommends not sending emails about your pet. Due to space restrictions, pets are only kept for three days and it can often take longer to respond to an email.
If you see your pet at the shelter, you will need to show some form of proof (a photo or other documentation) that the pet is yours before you can claim it. The cities of Davidson, Huntersville, Matthews and Cornelius have their own animal control. If your pet is not in one of those cities, check with your local police department.
It is always a good idea to continue identifying information about your pet. If a stray animal is found in Charlotte Animal Control with contact information or a microchip, Animal Control makes every effort to contact the owner before taking any further action.
Animal Control also has a website that lists pets available for adoption. Please visit this website frequently as it is updated several times a day. Your found pet may be on this list, and it is important to work quickly. Click on the appropriate animal to search for lost and found pets in Charlotte.
- Dogs
- Cats
- Other animals, including rabbits, goats, pigs, etc.
If you see your pet on this site, write down the identification number and take it to animal control in person. You will also need proof that the animal is yours (this can be veterinary records or even photos of you with the animal). There is a process for claiming your pet from animal control that includes providing your identification, pet rabies vaccination information, and more. Click here for details on the process of claiming a pet from animal control.
In addition to contacting animal control here in Charlotte, there are several other steps you can take. To get started, you can make a flyer here. Email that flyer to [email protected], and it will be posted on the county animal control Facebook page.
When your pet gets lost, tried and true flyers from your neighborhood are often the best option, but thanks to technology, a post on your city’s buy / sell Facebook groups is another great option.
