Check for ID and a microchip
Look for a collar and tags with identifying information. No tags? The dog may have a microchip. If at all possible, take the dog to a local vet clinic or to Animal Control to be scanned; the chip holds the owner’s information.
Call Animal Control
Call Animal Control in the county where the pet was found to file a report.
Stafford Animal Control: 540-658-7387
After hours, call the Stafford County Sheriff’s Office non-emergency line, 540-658-4400, then follow up directly with Animal Control the next morning.
File a found report with us
We’re rarely able to take in strays because we usually operate at capacity. But call us at 540-657-7387 to file a found animal report and see if we have a lost report that matches, or fill out the form online.
Post on Facebook
Visit and follow our Facebook page, then post a photo of the pet, a description of where you found them, and your phone number or email. We’ll share it with our audience of 10,000+ in the Stafford community. Many pets ARE reunited this way!
Make flyers
Post flyers around your neighborhood or where you found the dog. Include a good picture, pertinent details, and your contact information.
Keep following up
If you can keep the dog in your home, check in with Animal Control every day to see whether a matching lost dog report has come in. If you must surrender the dog to Animal Control, keep posting on our Facebook page and your own to spread the word to the owners.
- Place a free lost/found pet ad in the Free Lance-Star. Call 540-374-5001; they take free ad requests only by phone. The ad runs 3 days in the paper and 1 day online.
- Search Facebook for the many pages dedicated to reuniting lost and found pets, and post your found dog there. Look for matching reports while you’re there, too.
- Use other pet-finding websites such as pets911.com, petamberalert.com, helpinglostpets.com, and many others.
- Post an ad on Craigslist with a good picture of the dog and the general location.
Key phone numbers
- Stafford Animal Control: 540-658-7387
- After hours (Sheriff non-emergency): 540-658-4400
- Stafford SPCA: 540-657-7387
- Free Lance-Star (free lost/found ad): 540-374-5001