Lost pets

If you've lost your pet or found a lost animal, follow our advice to help reunite pets with their owners.

What to do if your pet goes missing

If you have lost or found a pet:

  • post the pet’s details on Waiheke Lost and Found Pets Facebook page. Include:

    • the pet’s description

    • photo of the pet

    • street name and approximate house number it is missing from or found at

    • how long it has been missing or hanging around for

  • share the Facebook post to the Waiheke Community Noticeboard Facebook page and the Waiheke Community Facebook page

  • post the pet’s details on LostPet listings » Companion Animal Register

  • chat to your neighbours a few houses away in all directions, and ask them to spread the word

  • print flyers and posters with a photo of your missing pet, last known location and a contact phone number. Leave flyers in letterboxes and posters in prominent places around the neighbourhood

  • if you don’t get a response on Facebook and the cat is friendly, can you:

    • care for it temporarily or long-term?

    • if you have a pet cage, can you take the animal to WISCA or the vet to scan for a microchip? The pet may live nearby and just has a routine of visiting neighbours

  • if you don't have a cage or the animal is unfriendly or aggressive, a nuisance or unwell or you can't deal with it, call us and we can collect or trap it. We can then try to find the owner, treat the animal and assess it for rehoming.

Missing or found dogs

If you find a wandering dog and cannot find the owner, please also call Auckland Council Animal Management on 09 301 0101. They can collect the dog and check council records for the dog’s registered owner.

Microchipping

It is crucial that you MICROCHIP YOUR PETS and REGISTER THE MICROCHIP on the NZ National Companion Animal Register.

The microchip is useless if it is not registered anywhere. Make sure your details are up-to-date at the vet, on the national register or contact us and we can update them for you.

GPS pet trackers

GPS pet trackers are devices that use satellite technology to monitor and locate a pet’s location in real time. They’re not cheap and often require a paid subscription fee on top of the cost of the tracker. However, they are very effective.

They can:

  • track where a pet is using a mobile app or website

  • help owners find lost or roaming pets

  • track activity levels, sleep or movement history.

Don’t give up

Never stop looking for your lost pet. Animals (especially cats) can go missing for days and weeks before they turn up again.

Working together to reunite missing pets

It's a team effort to help our pets find their way home.

Their lives are in our hands and it brings out the best in all of us when can show kindness to anyone who needs help, if you’re are an animal-lover or not.

Lost pet video

Watch the ‘Lost Pets 101’ video for more tips to help you find a lost pet.

More information

Visit Advice & welfare: What to do if your pet goes missing • SPCA New Zealand for more advice about what to do if your pet goes missing.