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Lost And Found

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Lost & Found

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Lost and Found Pets

Help Them Get Home

RHSPCA is your resource to recover lost and found pets. We pride ourselves in helping lost and found pets reunite with their families. A staggering 1 in 3 pets go missing in their lifetime and almost 10 million pets go missing every year. Let’s unite to reunite lost and found pets in our community!

Follow the steps below to search for a missing pet or to file a lost or found report. We reference these reports each time an animal is brought into the shelter and we’ll contact you if an animal matching your pet’s description comes in. If you find your pet on your own, please call or email us so we can cancel your report and celebrate!

I Lost My Pet

Please follow the steps outlined below and check out our FAQ’s section at the bottom of the page.

I Found a Stray

Thank you for helping local animals!  If you see a stray cat or dog, try to capture and contain the animal if circumstances permit. Always approach stray animals slowly and cautiously while speaking in a calm, gentle voice. Follow the steps outlined below to check for a lost report or to file a found report, and check out our FAQ’s section at the bottom of this page:

If there is a cat within your area that does not have an inside home and is unsocial, they likely do not need saving. These community cats are members of our community and live full, contented lives in their outdoor homes. Because they are not friendly toward people, they cannot be adopted and don’t belong in shelters.

We offer free spay and neuter services for outdoor cats in Rockingham County to help limit the overpopulation of feral cats in our community.

Community Cats Program

Lost Pet FAQ’S

Our goal is to reunite all lost pet’s with their owners. To reclaim your pet, please stop by the RHSPCA. We require : 

  • A valid form of photo ID
  • Proof of Ownership
  • An up to date Rabies vaccination
  • A carrier or leash/collar (available for purchase at the RHSPCA)
  • A county or city license (for dogs only)

Under Virginia state law, to release an animal on stray hold to a potential owner, we must receive proof of ownership. Proof of ownership includes :

  • Vet Records with your information, and your pet’s information
  • A microchip
  • An adoption, purchase, or rehoming contract
  • A county or city license

Rabies vaccinations are required by VA state law. Your pet will need to receive one prior to leaving the shelter.

  • We offer our expedited same-day vaccination service for $50. This includes transportation to the vet that must be done by RHSPCA staff.
  • We can also administer in house rabies vaccines for $25. Your pet will have to stay at the shelter until one of our veterinarians are at the shelter to administer the vaccine.

The RHSPCA is required by VA state law to provide licenses for all residents of Harrisonburg City or Rockingham County, prior to the pet leaving the shelter. These licenses prove rabies vaccination status, prove ownership, and registers the pet with the city or county treasurer’s office. Please review the rates for city tags or county tags.

The RHSPCA charges a rate for each day your pet is here to help cover the cost of food and care they received while in our custody.

  • 1st Offense : $8
  • 2nd Offense : $12
  • 3rd Offense : $16
  • 4th Offense : $20

For advice on how to find a lost pet, check out this helpful article.

Found Pet FAQ’S

Be sure to bring the pet to a vet or animal shelter to have them scanned for a microchip. If you’d like to care for the pet while we help try to find its owner, please file a found report with the pet’s information. This way, we know where the animal is and can contact you if the owner reaches out. We will not share your private information without your permission.

After 14 days have passed, and you have made an effort to find the lost pet’s owner (like filling out a Found Report, posting on social media, or putting up fliers), you may legally add the pet to your family (no paperwork needed as long as the pet doesn’t enter the shelter).

If you cannot keep the animal, and you found them in Rockingham County or Harrisonburg City, you can bring them to the RHSPCA and we’ll take good care of the pet while we wait for its owner. Please call us ahead of time and let us know when you’re coming so we can set up a cozy kennel and be ready when you arrive. You’re welcome to call and check on the animal while it’s at the RHSPCA.

If you find a stray pet outside of our business hours, please call your local police department and ask for Animal Control for the city of Harrisonburg or the county of Rockingham. They will likely send an officer out to retrieve the animal and bring it to the RHSPCA so it’s safe and warm.

If no owner comes forward at the end of their 7-12 day stray hold, they will need to be medically vetted and assessed behaviorally before being made available for adoption at our animal shelter. Once available, you can fill out an application to adopt the pet if you’d like!

Unite to Reunite

After filling out a lost or found report with us, consider using the Petco Love Lost database to find your missing pet!

We are thrilled to partner with Petco Love as they launch Petco Love Lost — a central, searchable resource helping lost pets reunite with their families. A staggering 1 in 3 pets will go missing in their lifetime and almost 10 million pets go missing every year, but together we can change the outlook for lost pets.

Petco Love Lost is a free, easy-to-use national resource, using patented pet facial recognition technology to make it easier than ever to find possible matches from community members and shelters all over the country. Try it today! Are you ready to go through the process for reuniting lost and found pets? Contact us today!

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