Lost a dog or cat? What to do now

Updated: Oct. 5, 2026 · Kynologic Sp. z o.o.

Most dogs turn up within the first day, and close to home. That day decides a lot. Here is the order that gives you the best chance — starting with the microchip, because it is what lets anyone who finds your dog find you.

Lost dog: what to do in the first 24 hours

Check that the microchip is registered and the details are current. A chip on its own is just a number. If nobody ever entered it in a database, or the entry still has your old phone number, a finder scans the chip and reaches nobody. Type the number into the microchip lookup — you see whether it is registered and where. The guide Is my dog's microchip registered? walks you through it. The number is in the pet passport, the vaccination record or on the sticker from your vet. If your dog is in no database at all, register it now — the entry works immediately, and you report the loss in the same place.
Report the loss in the registry. In DogWorldBase you switch on lost mode with one click in your panel: where and when the dog was last seen, and a radius. The registry alerts partner vet practices and shelters in that area, and you get an e-mail when a finder messages you through the site or scans the QR tag. The partner network is growing but is not everywhere yet — so do the next steps alongside, not instead.
Tell the shelters, vets and the dog warden. Phone the shelter that serves your area and the neighbouring ones — found dogs are taken there as a matter of course. Leave a description and the chip number with vet practices within a few miles; finders bring dogs there to be scanned. Report the loss to the dog warden, animal control or your council — that is who takes reports of found animals.
Local notices and groups. One clear photo showing the whole dog. A few words: breed or looks, name, where and when it went missing, how to reach you. Post it in local community groups, on lost-pet sites and on noticeboards in shops, at bus stops and in vet practices. A poster where the dog vanished works best — the people who saw it walk past there every day.
Search the area — the smart way. Dogs rarely go far; a frightened dog often hides nearby and comes out at dusk or dawn. Walk, do not run; call calmly; bring a favourite treat and something that smells of home. Ask the postman, couriers and other dog walkers — they see more than anyone. A dog that bolted in panic (fireworks, thunder) may not respond even to you: do not chase, sit down side-on and wait.
Do not stop after day one. Visit the shelter in person every few days — a description over the phone is not the same as your own eyes. Refresh the notices. Check whether anyone has looked up your dog's number in the meantime.

What to have ready

The microchip number — 15 digits, saved in your phone. Without it you cannot report the loss to any registry or prove that a found dog is yours.
A recent photo — full body, from the side, in good light. A close-up of the face helps too.
Distinguishing marks — a scar, a patch, the collar colour, an unusual gait. Keep one to yourself to test anyone who rings saying "I have your dog" and asks for money.
A contact list — shelter, dog warden, the nearest vets. Note down when you spoke and to whom.

Lost dog and the microchip: why it works

A finder, a shelter or a vet scans the chip and types the number into the lookup. If it is in DogWorldBase, they see your dog's name, photo and the "lost" status, and you get a message. They do not see your details — contact goes through the site, anonymous in both directions until you both decide otherwise. A QR tag from our shop does the same without a reader — the finder's phone is enough.

Lost cat: what is different

Cats do the opposite of dogs: they do not run, they hide — usually within a few hundred metres of home, in a garage, a cellar, under a deck, in dense shrubs. A frightened cat can stay put for days and not answer your call. Search after dark with a torch (the eyes reflect light), quietly. Ask the neighbours to check garages and sheds — that is where cats get shut in. An outdoor cat that missed a night often returns within two or three days; an indoor cat that slipped out for the first time is almost certainly right next door. The rest is the same: chip, registry, shelter, vets, notices.

Dog found — cancel the alert

Once your dog is home, switch off lost mode in your panel. Partners stop looking out for it, and further chip scans no longer raise false alarms. Take down the posters and close the notices — otherwise someone may "find" a dog that is asleep on your sofa. And check that your registry details are up to date; this was the moment when everything could have depended on them.

Questions about chip numbers, costs and privacy are collected in the FAQ. If it is you who has found someone else's dog, read what to do when you find a dog or cat.