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WHAT TO DO IF YOU HAVE LOST OR FOUND A PET

I LOST MY PET (Scroll down if you have FOUND a pet)

• Check the pictures of all stray animals found on the Found Strays at the Oshkosh Area Humane Society Facebook page.

• If you don’t see your animal, submit a report so OAHS can contact you immediately if the animal comes in:  

SUBMIT A LOST CAT REPORT
SUBMIT A LOST DOG REPORT

You can also call 920.424.2128, option 2 then option 1, to file a Lost Report over the phone with a staff person. Please leave a message if it is after hours and a staff person will call you back the following day. 

OAHS partners with Petco Love Lost to make reuniting lost pets easier using image recognition technology to search a national lost and found database.
Click HERE to search and report your lost pet.

 • IF YOU KNOW YOUR PET IS AT OAHS: First call 920-424-2128, ext 2 then ext 1.  Click HERE for requirements to reclaim your pet.

The Oshkosh Area Humane Society is contracted with the City of Oshkosh and surrounding townships to care for stray animals. Click HERE for a complete list.

Tips for finding your pet:

  • Check and post on social media sites such as Facebook (look for pages focused on your city/town/area).  File a report with Lost Dogs of Wisconsin or Lost Cats of Wisconsin.  The Nextdoor app is also a valuable tool to use to contact your neighbors and alert them to your missing animal so they can report any sightings.  
  • Go door to door and talk to neighbors and post flyers with a clear picture and your contact information. 
  • Lost cat? Be sure to thoroughly check the house! Cats are masters at hiding in unusual places. Set out “stinky” food such as tuna or sardines to see if it attracts them. If you’re sure they got outside put a familiar scent item outside by the area where you think your cat got out such as the cat’s litter box, favorite bed or blanket.
  • If your animal is skittish or avoids people you may need to rent a live trap.  OAHS rents out live traps for a fee. Call 920-424-2128 for more information. 
  • Do NOT ever chase a scared animal as it may drive them further away or into traffic. 

IMPORTANT: A STRAY ANIMAL BECOMES THE LEGAL PROPERTY OF THE OSHKOSH AREA HUMANE SOCIETY (or other state holding facility) IF NOT CLAIMED WITHIN THE FIVE-DAY STRAY HOLD PERIOD.  

Per Wisconsin Act 233, effective March 3, 2016, all stray animals entering an animal control facility or humane society with an animal control contract will have a FIVE (5) day stray-hold period, four days plus the day of confiscation. This means that on day SIX (6) in custody, animals who have not been reclaimed may be adopted out or transferred to another facility for adoption.  For more information on the stray-hold laws in Wisconsin click HERE. 

I FOUND A PET

If you find an animal without an owner and it is contained – either in your vehicle, on a leash or in a carrier, first call OAHS at 910-424-2128 ext 2 then ext 1. 

Submit a report so we can see if we have a matching Lost Report:

FOUND DOG REPORT
FOUND CAT REPORT
 Don’t assume a lost or stray pet has been intentionally abandoned or mistreated.  OAHS scans all found pets for an identifying microchip. 
 

*Please note it is against the law to keep a stray animal without first making a good-faith effort to find the owner. Use social media like local Facebook pages and the Nextdoor app to post the found animal. Check pages such as Lost Dogs of Wisconsin or Lost Cats of Wisconsin to see if someone is searching for their lost pet.

Try Paper Collars First

Lost cat in your neighborhood? Unsure if it belongs to someone nearby? Try using a paper collar!

Using a paper collar is a great way to help you and the kitty’s owner connect and will help ensure you don’t accidentally remove a cat from it’s happy home. 

Learn more about how paper collars work and download the paper collar template HERE