What to do if Your Dog is Lost

Lots of supports are available in the search for a lost pet. If your dog is missing, spread the word and report it to the relevant organisations.

5 Steps for Finding a Lost Dog

If you have lost your dog, try to remain calm and follow these steps:

1. Contact the Animal Welfare Unit

If your dog goes missing in the Dublin City Council administrative area, be sure to report it to us as soon as possible. Please send a picture of your dog to [email protected] along with details of when and where the dog went missing. Be sure to provide your name and number too.

This will help us identify your dog quickly. We pick up hundreds of stray dogs each year and dogs that are not reclaimed within five days can legally be rehomed.

You can also check the Animal Welfare Unit's Facebook page, which is regularly updated with photos of the dogs taken to our shelter. If you live near another local authority area, be sure to contact their dog warden too.

If Dublin City Council's Animal Welfare Unit finds your dog, you will need to provide proof of ownership, ID and pay any associated fees before you can get your dog back. Find out more on our page about how to reclaim a dog.

2. Contact your Local Garda Station

Next, you should call your local Garda station to report your dog missing. Stray dogs are often reported to An Garda Síochána, particularly if they are found disrupting traffic or posing a risk to the public.

Your local station may be able to ascertain if your dog has been picked up by Dublin City Council's wardens. Once again, you should provide your name, phone number and a description of your dog.

3. Contact Vets and Dog Welfare Organisations

If a member of the public finds your dog, they may bring them to a local vet, kennel or animal charity, so be sure to contact all the ones in your area to let them know that your dog is missing.

The DSPCA and Dogs Trust are key organisations for people in Dublin to contact.

4. Contact your Microchip Registry

If your dog is microchipped, it is a good idea to contact the registry that controls the data on your dog's microchip. Make sure your contact details are correct so that anyone who scans your dog's microchip will be able to contact you.

You should also tell the registry that your dog is lost and request that they notify you if anyone tries to change the details on your dog’s microchip.

5. Spread the Word

Let people know that you are looking for your dog through social media and local noticeboards. There are lots of social media pages dedicated to reuniting lost dogs with their owners. You can also put up posters in vet surgeries and on the notice boards in local shops and post offices.

Be sure to look through these notice boards and social media pages in case someone has already found your dog and posted a notice.

Don't Forget to Update Everyone

If you find your pet, please remember to tell the organisations that you have contacted. You should take down any posters that you put up too.

Prevention Tips

Every year, hundreds of dogs are rehomed by the Animal Welfare Unit because their owners cannot be traced. In order to avoid this, owners should:

• Make sure their dog is wearing a collar with an ID disk at all times. This is a legal obligation and dog owners can be fined €200 for having no collar and ID on their dog.
• Get their dog microchipped. This is also a legal obligation and can be done in most vets, at the DSPCA or at a DSPCA mobile clinic.
• Register their details with a microchip database and ensure this information is updated if anything changes.
• Get their dog neutered. This reduces a dog's urge to wander and get out of the garden, as well as preventing unwanted breeding and behavioural problems.

Find out more in our guide to responsible dog ownership.

Contact the Animal Welfare Unit

If you have lost your dog, please contact the Animal Welfare Unit at the number below. Our phone line is open 9am-9pm daily.