We regularly get posts and messages through our Facebook page notifying of lost and found pets in Gungahlin. We recommend reporting at Canberra Lost Pet Database Facebook Page and letting us know when the listing has been posted there so we can share from there. You should also report on the Territory and Municipal Services and RSPCA websites.
“If you find a dog roaming or are missing your beloved pet, you can go online to fill out a form which, once submitted, automatically lists the dog on a lost or found table,” said Peter Dinan, Manager of Operations and Registrar of Domestic Animal Services.”Losing a dog can be quite a distressing time and the process of returning a pooch to its owner is made a lot quicker and easier by making this information available to the public. The online tables detail the date the dog was found or went missing, the breed of dog, its colour and the suburb in which it was found or lost. A photo of the animal can also be uploaded for easy identification.
“These tables are a good first point of call when searching for lost and found dogs, giving the owner the opportunity to directly contact the person holding the dog and vice versa. However, although we have this service, it is very important to ensure your pet’s registration and micro-chip details are current and they are wearing their identification.”
Mr Dinan said that all it takes to check if this information is up-to-date is an email to [email protected] providing the dog’s name, registration number and your full name.
“When a dog is found with a registration tag, Canberra Connect can be contacted on 13 22 81 who will make attempts to contact the owner on your behalf. Alternatively, the dog can be taken to a vet clinic where the owner may be identified if the dog is micro-chipped.”
Mr Dinan said that people who are looking for a new friend to invite into their home can also go online to view the dogs currently impounded at the DAS shelter in Symonston.
To ensure you are reunited quickly with your pet here is some useful tips. Have your dog registered with TAMS, have the yellow tag attached to their collar or have tag with engraving “ACT REGO” and the number. Make sure you have a current mobile phone listed in your details. Chances are you are out walking the streets with your mobile trying to find your pet.
Have your pet microchipped. Under ACT legislation all domestic cats and dogs must be microchipped. Microchips are vital for reuniting pets with their owners. Please make sure your details are up to date. There are five national microchip registries in Australia. To check which register your pet is on, and whether your details are up to date, simply type in their microchip details on http://www.petaddress.com.au/ If you have recently moved from NSW to ACT make sure your pet is registered with a National microchip database rather than the NSW state database. Microchips only cost $50-$60 to implant and they are only the size of a grain of rice. Microchipping can be done at RSPCA, Domestic Animal Services, or your local vet. Make sure you keep your details up to date.
If you find a lost pet check for tags on the collar. If there is an ACT Rego tag call Canberra Connect 132281 and they will be able to connect you with the owner. If you find a stray cat or dog, you can take i to any vet to get it scanned and check whether it is microchipped. The Animal Emergency Centre Canberra http://aeccanberra.com.au/ in Fyshwick can scan animals outside of normal business hours as it is open throughout the night.
You can also take the pet straight to Domestic Animal Services or RSPCA if you can’t keep the pet at your own home. Both RSPCA and Domestic Animal Services have overnight pens you can drop stray dogs you find outside business hours. Please ensure to lock the doors after dropping off the dogs.
For more information on lost, found and impounded dogs, or to report a lost or found dog, visit TAMS.
The RSPCA also offer a similar service of reporting lost and found pets through their website at RSPCA.
If you have had your pet reunited through the good will of a member of the community and these services mentioned here may I suggest a donation to RSPCA ACT as a sign of appreciation.
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