Found pets

If you find a lost or stray domestic animal, please take care when approaching it. It might be afraid and attack you.

Here’s what you need to do if you find a stray animal.

 

Report a found animal

Step 1.If you find an injured pet

If you find a dog, cat or other pet that is sick or injured, please take it straight to the closest vet if you can.

Step 2.If you find a deceased animal

If the animal is deceased, please call us on 03 9217 2170. If it's after hours, you will be connected to our after-hours service.

Learn more about deceased, sick or injured animals

Step 3.If you've found a healthy-looking pet

If the animal seems healthy, please contain it on your property to keep it safe. If you can't do that, please contact us.

Step 4.Contact us for instructions

Contact us on 03 9217 2170 and we'll let you know what to do. If it's outside of business hours, you'll be directed through to our after-hours service. Depending on the situation, we might ask you to:

  • take the animal to a local vet who can scan for a microchip
  • bring the animal to the wat djerring Animal Facility
  • keep the animal safe until we can come to collect it.

What happens next?

We'll try to reunite the pet with its owner.

If we can’t find the owner, we’ll try to find a new loving home for the animal through our pet adoption service.

Please remember it is against the law to keep an animal that you find.

Have you found a native Australian animal?

Call Wildlife Victoria on 03 8400 7300.

Have you found wandering livestock?

Please call us on 03 9217 2170.