lost & found pets

Please take a look through the Found Animal and Stray Animal listings to see if someone has already found your pet or brought them to the shelter as a stray. These listings and photos are updated every hour as new reports are submitted.

If you see your pet on the list, please call us at (434) 973-5959 and our staff will inform you of next steps to reclaim your pet.

Please bring:

•  your ID
•  proof of ownership (veterinary records,
  county/city license, or photo of pet)
• proof of rabies vaccination

You will be required to pay a fee to redeem your pet. Fees vary depending upon how many days your animal has been cared for at the shelter.

If you do not see your pet on the list, please fill out the Lost Animal report below with your information, your pet’s information, and a photo of your pet. As animals come in to the shelter as strays, we reference these reports, and we will contact you if an animal matching your pet’s description comes. Lost pet reports are also listed on our Lost Pets page for finders to reference. These lists update every hour.

• Post on social media: Posts on social media help spread the word about your missing pet. Post on Facebook, Facebook lost/found groups, Nextdoor, and Craigslist in the lost/found section. Include when and where your pet went missing from, a description of your pet, and multiple photos from different angles. 
• Canvas your neighborhood: Post flyers in your neighborhood displaying when and where your pet went missing, a description of your pet, multiple photos from different angles, and your contact information. Talk to your neighbors and ask them to keep an eye out and to check under vehicles decks, and in garages and sheds. 
• Place a water bowl and items that carry your pet’s scent (like their bed or litter box) near the point of escape. Avoid setting out food, especially overnight, as you may attract wild animals that may scare your pet off further.
• For shy dogs and cats: Set a humane trap near the point of escape. The SPCA has humane traps available for rent. Please call (434) 973-5959 for more information
• Contact the following sources for help in posting a lost pet ad: Charlottesville Albemarle Lost & Found Pets Facebook, The Daily Progress (434) 978-7202, C-VILLE Weekly (434) 817-2759, Pawboost, and Petco Love Lost
• Tips and tricks: Dogs Finding Dogs and Petco Love Lost are both sites with tips for conducting a successful search for your pet. Create a flyer for your missing pet at PetBond.com.

When a pet is found with any sign of ownership, such as a collar/harness, ID tag, or microchip, the pet is held at the SPCA for 11 days. If the pet is not found with any signs of ownership, the pet is held for 6 days. Stray pets are posted on our website at the time of intake. These pets are not available for adoption until their stray hold is over and they have been spayed/neutered. They will be posted to our website under the Adoptable Pets page at that time. 

• Check the lost pet reports: Please take a look through the Lost Animal reports to see if someone is already looking for the animal. These listings and photos are updated every hour as new reports are submitted. If you see the pet on the list, please call us at (434) 973-5959 and our staff will inform you of next steps.
• If you do not see the pet on the list, and you are able to keep the pet while we wait for its owner, please file a Found Animal report at the button below with your information, the pet’s information, a photo of the pet and a detailed physical description of the pet. We will reach out to you as soon as the owner contacts us. 
• We will never share your private information without your permission. We recommend keeping the pet away from your own pets. The pet may also be microchipped or tattooed, so please call us to have the pet scanned at CASPCA or a local vet clinic, as soon as possible!
• Check social media to see if the pet’s owner has been posting in search of the animal. You can place an ad in the lost and found section on Craigslist, post an announcement at Charlottesville Albemarle Lost & Found Pets Facebook, Nextdoor, Pawboost, Petco Love Lost and post found dog/cat posters in your neighborhood.

If the pet was found in the City if Charlottesville or Albemarle County, and you are not able to temporarily house the pet, you may bring them to the shelter to be signed in as a stray. Please call (434) 973-5959 for next steps.

The Charlottesville-Albemarle SPCA only accepts stray animals found in the City of Charlottesville or Albemarle County. A list of regional animal shelters is located on this page below or at right. 

Stray Hold Policy:

When a pet is found with any sign of ownership, such as a collar/harness, ID tag, or microchip, the pet is held at the SPCA for 11 days. If the pet is not found with any signs of ownership, the pet is held for 6 days. Stray pets are posted on our website at the time of intake. These pets are not available for adoption until their stray hold is over and they have been spayed/neutered. They will be posted to our website under the Adoptable Pets page at that time.