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Looking for the latest tips, tricks, and data on reuniting lost pets!

  • 1.  Looking for the latest tips, tricks, and data on reuniting lost pets!

    Posted 02-10-2025 09:42 AM

    Hey everyone!

    I wanted to share my latest blog post about the heartwarming and sometimes challenging journey of reuniting pets with their families. Stories like Hope, Karma, and others remind us why return-to-owner (RTO) efforts are so crucial. We also highlight tools like PetcoLoveLost.org and how teamwork between staff, volunteers, and the community makes reunions possible.

    But now, I want to hear from you! What did I miss? Do you have tips, tricks, or data that could help reunite even more pets? Let's collaborate to make these happy endings more common. Drop your insights, ideas, and experiences here.

    Read the post here: Lost, Found, and Back Home: How We Help Pets Reunite with Their Families 


    #ReturntoHome(LostPetReunification)

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    Michael Bricker
    Division Chief
    Animal Care and Protective Services
    FL
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  • 2.  RE: Looking for the latest tips, tricks, and data on reuniting lost pets!

    Posted 02-11-2025 09:32 AM

    Love to see the return to home conversations going on around the country. Great blog post! I attached a couple of things that might be of interest to shelters trying to ramp up their reunion rates. 

    1. I put all of my pets in my cell phone  with a photo. The contact includes my pet's microchip number and the name of the chip company. I might lose the paperwork, but I always have my phone (or the cloud). Pet owners who are shown this typically do it right away. It takes a minute to explain and....your pet will never spam you! It is a great way to emphasize the importance of this information. Plus, you have a photo on your phone in case you haven't already registered all of your pets with Petco Love Lost, you can register asap. 
    2. I am a big lover of all things QR code. Easy to use, most people understand how they work. Granted, the pet owner still has to set up the account, but if I were to lose my dog the attached example shows what the finder would see. It's fast and easy. QR coded pets typically don't end up in our shelters.
    3. I think shelters should be making a big deal out of lost animals going home. The attached example is from the Salt Lake City shelter. They do weekly reunion posts, which reinforces the message to check local shelters and also emphasizes the means by which the owner was found (chip, tag, etc.) As an industry, I think we need to do more of this and not just posts about the cat that's been missing for 7 years. Instead, focusing on the cat (or dog) that went home in mere hours due to having the right kind of identification.  It's all about marketing the message (over and over and over).


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    Gina Knepp
    National Shelter Engagement Director
    Michelson Found Animals Foundation
    Los Angeles, California
    916-230-4533
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    Original Message


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