Lost & Found

WHAT TO DO... IF YOU HAVE LOST A PET

Please view our tips for what you should do when missing a beloved family member. 

SEARCH PHOTOS OF CURRENT STRAY ANIMALS AT THE SHELTER

Note: If you find a photo that resembles your pet, come to the shelter immediately with proof of ownership which includes one of the following:

• Rabies license
• Veterinary records for your missing pet
• Photo(s) of your missing pet

We cannot hold any animals that have not been personally identified. All animals reclaimed from Asheville Humane Society must be microchipped and current on their Rabies vaccination. There are fees associated with reclaiming your pet; however, the fees vary depending on how your animal was brought to the shelter and length of stay.

To view our current photos of lost dogs, click here: Lost Dogs

To view our current photos of lost cats, click here: Lost Cats

To view our current photos of other lost animals, click here: Other Lost Pets

iF YOU didn't find your missing pet in our photos...

ACT FAST!

It’s important that you visit all area shelters to look for your pet, because animals can wander far from home.  If you don’t find your pet at a particular shelter, leave a lost pet report and current photo with the staff. In Buncombe County, the shelter is run by Asheville Humane Society at 72 Lee’s Creek Rd., Asheville; the phone number is 253-6807.

WHAT TO DO

• Visit the nearest shelters immediately and file lost reports. Brother Wolf Animal Rescue also operates a facility that houses lost animals. Please contact them directly at (828) 505-3440 or visit them at http://www.bwar.org Don’t assume that a shelter will house your animal any longer than a few days. In North Carolina the legal hold time for stray animals is 72 hours. After stray hold time elapses, the animals in our care are evaluated for adoption, euthanasia or transfer to rescue group.
• It’s also necessary for you to personally look for your pet, because the description you give over the phone may not be the same as another person would provide for that animal.
• Even if you call ahead, our recommendation will be that you visit the shelter in person as your description of your lost pet might not match our description. We advise walking through our facility and viewing the stray animals in our care to find your lost friend. Upon arrival, we ask that you complete a lost report which we will keep on file for 30 days. An Asheville Humane Society representative will then escort you through our stray holding areas so you can look for your pet.

• Animal Control and private citizens bring us stray animals each day so by visiting the shelter every few days, you may increase the chances of finding your pet.

• If you have registered your pet by an ID tag or microchip, contact the registering agency and alert them that your pet is missing. Be sure your contact information is up to date.
• Notify friends and neighbors that your pet is lost.
• Contact veterinary practices in your area. They may have a Lost and Found bulletin board in their offices.
• Read the “found” ads, and take out a “lost” ad in the newspapers.
• Post fliers in your neighborhood and/or the area where you lost your pet, at nearby shelters and veterinary clinics. Area pet shops, pet groomers, schools, drug stores, gas station and grocery store bulletin boards are also good locations to place your flyers. Include a photo of your pet and any distinctive markings.
• Look for your pet in the area where he or she was lost as well as near your home. The quiet early morning hours are a good time to look for your pet.
• Don’t give up!
  

Why Pets Stray

    A common reason a pet will stray from home is that it isn’t spayed or neutered and is looking for a mate. Spaying or neutering eliminates an animal’s reproductive instincts and decreases the chances of its straying from home.

    The first step is prevention: keep your pets indoors or safely enclosed in a yard. Make sure it has a collar with ID tag and a microchip. Lost pets that have identification are many times more likely to be returned to their owners!

WHAT TO DO…IF YOU FOUND A PET

You have three different options when you find a pet.

• You may either bring the pet to the shelter.
• Contact Animal Control if you find the pet after business hours
• You may also keep the pet in your home and file a found report with our staff.

Bringing A Found Pet To The Shelter

In Buncombe County, the shelter is run by Asheville Humane Society at 72 Lee’s Creek Rd., Asheville; the phone number is 253-6807. When you arrive with the pet, please enter through the rear of the building marked Receiving. We’ll ask you some questions about where and when the animal was found.

After Hours

If Asheville Humane Society is closed and you find a pet that you are not able to care for until the morning, please call Animal Services in your area. In the City of Asheville that is 252-1110, in Buncombe County it is 253-1195.

Caring For The Pet In Your Home

If you'd like to care for the pet yourself, call AHS at (828) 253-6807 and leave a "found report" with a shelter staff in case the pet's owner contacts us. You can also visit your veterinarian or bring the animal to the shelter to have the animal scanned for a microchip ID and identify the breed, sex and age.