Losing a pet or finding a stray animal in Marion County can be overwhelming, but taking quick, coordinated action significantly increases the chances of a happy reunion. By combining local network alerts, facial recognition technology, microchip checks, and shelter visits, you can navigate the recovery process effectively.
What to Do If You Lost a Pet
If your pet has gone missing, start your search immediately using the following steps:
1. File Online Alerts & Search Databases
Petco Love Lost: Upload a photo of your pet to Petco Love Lost, a free nationwide database that uses facial recognition technology to match lost and found pets.
Indy Lost Pet Alert: Submit a Lost Pet Report on Indy Lost Pet Alert, the primary local social media network for missing animals in Indianapolis. You can also create and print missing flyers directly from their website to hang around your neighborhood.
Social Media & Nextdoor: Post your pet’s photo and details on Nextdoor, local neighborhood Facebook groups, and lost/found pet pages.
2. Check & Update Microchip Registration
Contact your microchip registry to ensure your phone number and address are up to date.
Add a secondary/backup contact number so shelters or finders can reach someone immediately if your pet is scanned.
If you aren’t sure which registry holds your microchip, call your veterinarian or the clinic that implanted it.
3. Search Local Shelters In Person
Indianapolis Animal Care Services (IACS): Located at 2600 S. Harding Street, IACS is the primary municipal shelter responsible for stray animal intake in Marion County. Visit IACS in person regularly to check the stray kennels.
Check Surrounding Counties: Lost pets can travel significant distances, so expand your search to animal shelters in surrounding counties.
IndyHumane Note: Due to city ordinances, IndyHumane rarely intakes stray animals directly, but you should still monitor their online stray pet listings regularly.
4. Search Your Immediate Neighborhood
Most lost pets are found within a few blocks of where they went missing. Walk your neighborhood, check under porches, garages, and sheds, talk to neighbors, and distribute printed flyers.
What to Do If You Found a Pet
When you find a stray animal in Marion County, keep in mind that most lost pets live within a mile of where they are discovered. Keeping them safe in the local area gives them the best chance of returning home.
Check for an Eartip First (For Outdoor Cats)
Managed Community Cats: Fixed and vaccinated outdoor cats will have their left ear tipped (a clean horizontal clip across the tip of the left ear). If an outdoor cat is eartipped, healthy, and thriving, it is a community cat living in a managed colony—leave them be in their home territory!
Un-tipped Cats: If an outdoor cat has intact ears, it may be a lost indoor pet, an abandoned cat, or an unsterilized community cat that needs Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR).
Scan for a Microchip
If the pet is friendly and safe to handle, take them to a local veterinary clinic or shelter to be scanned for a microchip. Most veterinary offices will perform microchip scans free of charge.
Safety Rule: Always transport cats securely inside a hard-sided carrier or humane box trap.
Report the Found Pet Online
Upload a photo to Petco Love Lost to run a facial recognition search against missing pet reports.
Submit a Found Pet Report on Indy Lost Pet Alert. If you see a lost pet from a distance but cannot catch it, file a Sighting Report so owners know where their pet was last spotted.
Post flyers and share online listings across Nextdoor and local Facebook groups.
Understand Marion County Stray Holding Rules
Ordinance 531-208 Legal Hold: Under Marion County ordinance, stray pets must complete a legal holding period (minimum 4 days at IACS) to give owners a fair opportunity to locate them.
14-Day Finder Holding Rule: If a found pet remains in your care for more than 14 days (and has been actively posted on Indy Lost Pet Alert), you may legally begin seeking a new home for the pet on your own or request an intake appointment with IndyHumane.
How to Reclaim Your Pet from a Shelter
If your missing pet is located at a shelter (such as IACS or IndyHumane):
Bring Proof of Ownership: You must bring valid proof of ownership, including veterinary records, photos of you with the pet, and microchip documentation.
Visit in Person: Do not rely solely on phone calls—visit the shelter directly during intake hours.
Reclaim Fees: Owners are required to pay for daily boarding care, as well as any microchipping, vaccinations, tests, or medical treatments provided during the shelter stay.
Proactive Steps: Protect Your Pet Today
Prevent future heartbreak by taking these simple precautions:
📱 Microchip Your Pet: Ensure your pet is microchipped and that your current phone number is linked to the registration.
🏷️ Keep Collar Tags Up to Date: Ensure your pet wears a collar with an updated phone number at all times.
📸 Create a Pre-Registered Profile: Create a profile on Petco Love Lost today so your pet’s photo is already in the database if they ever slip out.
Quick Links
Indianapolis Animal Care Services
- 317.327.1429
- www.indy.gov/acs
- Report Animal Cruelty or Abuse
INC Contact Info
- 317.386.6916
- info@indyneighborhoodcats.org
- TNR Assistance
- Medical Assistance