First and foremost, KEEP IT SAFE! The pet probably needs water, food and a safe place to rest no matter how it ended up where it is.

Please don’t just hope it will go somewhere else or go home.  Treat this pet the same way you’d want someone to treat your lost pet.  Help it get home again.

Don’t assume the pet has been abandoned. It may have been, but it’s just as likely to be lost, with an owner looking for it, and wanting desperately to go home.

If the pet has an ID tag, call the owner and let them know you’ve found their pet.

If the pet has a rabies tag, call the veterinarian listed on the tag, give them the tag number, and they will either contact the owner with your contact information, or provide you the owner’s contact information.

If you can’t contact the owner, and you live within Leavenworth or Lansing city limits, call your Police Department (Leavenworth: 913-682-4411, Lansing: 913-682-5724) or Animal Control (913-682-0268) and let them know you’ve found a stray. They will pick up the animal, or ask you to bring it in to the shelter if you can.

If the animal needs emergency veterinary care, please do your best to provide that.  Several Leavenworth County veterinarians have emergency services available.  

Take a digital photo and email LCHS with information about where and when the pet was found and where it is now. Tell us about pet’s size and sex since we may not be able to judge that from the photo.

Make flyers (color with a photo are best) with your contact information and post them around the area where you found the pet.

Let your neighbors know you’ve found a pet and share the flyer with them.

Place a “found pet” ad in the newspaper.

Call local veterinarians and let them know you’ve found a pet. The owner may be calling them already to try to locate their pet. Ask if they will post one of your flyers to help locate the animal.

Contact Leavenworth Animal Control (913-682-0268). No matter where the animal was lost, owners should be checking there to try to find the pet. E-mail or take a copy of your flyer to sbiotti@firstcity.org and cdressler@firstcity.org.

Contact the Sheriff’s Department (913-682-5724) and let them know you’ve found an animal. Owners may be contacting them to locate their lost pets.

If you are on the fringes of Leavenworth County, be sure to also contact veterinarians and shelters in KCK, Atchison, DeSoto, Valley Falls or Lawrence as animals don’t recognize county lines!