Lost & Found Pets
Report your animal missing immediately.
If your animal has gone missing, please fill out a lost dog or cat report. We are happy to assist you in filling it out and you may contact us by calling 207 942-8902 or via email at [email protected].
It is useful to have a photo of your pet so we may compare it to animals on site at BHS. Please attach a photo to your submission.
Please also visit Maine Lost Dog Recovery or Maine Lost Cat Recovery to report your missing pet.
Courtesy of Maine Lost Dog Recovery, here are some tips to improve your chances of successfully reuniting with your dog:
Your lost dog may not come if called. This is very common, especially if the dog is shy or newly adopted.
It is critical that people helping you know not to chase or call out to the dog. This will only cause the dog to run further or into harm’s way. Using tips shown in the “Calming Signals” video can help.
Do not chase your dog! Remember to get low, lay flat, speak softly, avoid direct eye contact, and give your dog time to recognize a familiar voice or smell. Dogs lost in an unfamiliar area tend to stay close to that area unless frightened by people searching, loud, calling out, or chasing.
- Call animal control for your town and surrounding towns if the dog travels across town lines. Dogs have been known to travel miles in hours.
- Contact shelters, local and beyond, in case they travel. Send information electronically or deliver flyers with photos, if possible. Also, contact local veterinarians and emergency clinics.
- Put down smelly food, leave out dirty laundry and dog bedding in the area the dog went missing.
- Hang lots of flyers (between 100-300) on telephone poles within a 3-5 mile radius of where your dog was lost. Make sure all major intersections are posted. Be sure to place the flyers in plastic sleeves or sheet protectors upside down to protect them from the elements. Attach them to telephone poles using a staple gun. This is a critical piece to bringing a dog home safely.
- Make sure you check with all nearby landowners for any places a dog could get trapped, like outbuildings or old wells, for example.
Strays
If you have found a stray animal, please fill out a Found Animal Report and contact your local Animal Control Officer, town office, or police department. Different towns and cities contract with different organizations to care for their stray animals. You are also welcome to contact us at (207) 942-8902 and we would be happy to help you figure out next steps.
The Bangor Humane Society contracts with several local towns as their stray holding facility. Please see the listing on this page to determine if your town contracts with us. If you have found a stray animal and are not sure which shelter your town contracts with, you may use Maine.gov’s handy listing here. If you observe a stray animal and need assistance, please call your town office or local police department. Please call us before bringing the animal anywhere so we can ensure you are bringing them to the right place.
If your animal has been brought to BHS as a stray and you are looking to reclaim it, we would be happy to help get your animal back to you! If you have your lost pet, please stop by during normal business hours with your State ID or Driver’s License and proof of ownership like vet records, municipal dog registration, etc.
The Bangor Humane Society charges a boarding fee of $15 per day. This fee covers the cost of food, water, and care provided to your animal while they have been with us. There is also an impound fee, which varies based on the town the pet was found. The impound fee is levied by individual towns. Please call us for a full explanation of any reclaim fees.
