Find my missing pet
If your pet is missing, but is microchipped and registered, or wearing an identification tag, our rangers will contact you as soon as possible if they are found.
When an animal finds their way to the Maitland Animal Management Facility, we will check if it’s microchipped and registered.
What you need to do
- Contact our Customer Experience Team if your pet is missing. If your dog is a restricted breed or a declared dangerous dog, you must notify us within 24 hours.
- Log into your NSW Pet Registry account, and change the status of your pet to 'missing'.
- Contact local vets, or animal welfare organisations, to see if your pet has been found. You can also check your nearest ‘Lost & Found Pets’ Facebook or social media page.
Stray animals
Finding a lost dog
If you find a lost dog, we recommend taking a photo of it, uploading it to a local 'Lost & Found' Facebook page, and reporting it to our team.
You can also check to see if the animal is wearing a collar or identification tag to be able to contact the owner. If the dog is safe in your yard, our Rangers can usually pick up the dog during business hours.
If the dog does not have a tag, or the owner cannot be contacted, contact our Customer Experience Team, who will organise a Ranger to collect the dog. Alternatively, you can take the dog to the Maitland Animal Management Facility.
If the dog is injured, please get in touch with a local vet.
Finding a lost cat
Cats in NSW are permitted to roam freely under the Companion Animals Act 1998, except in certain restricted areas.
It can be hard to tell if a cat is lost or a stray, but trapping or catching roaming cats is strongly discouraged as it can cause distress. Rangers will only respond to concerns about stray, homeless or feral cats in limited circumstances.
Roaming livestock
If there is roaming livestock near you, contact us, and our Rangers can organise to collect the animal.