Found a Pet?

dog licks lips close up

Thank you for helping this lost pet! If the stray is sick or injured and in need of immediate help, please go to Report an Injured Stray. Otherwise, here are the steps you can take to help reunite them with their family or get them the care they need.

First, Check Maricopa’s Found Pet Map

While the Arizona Humane Society focuses on our mission of saving the most vulnerable sick and injured pets, Maricopa County Animal Care and Control is responsible for managing strays of all kinds. Their map is a great first stop to see if the owner has reported their missing pet. You can access it by clicking on the “Access Map” link below the map photo. If you don’t see a listing that matches the pet you’ve found, click “Report a Pet” in the top right of their map to make a listing of your own.

a map with plotted locations across Arizona

Additional Steps to Take

Below are resources for dogs, cats and wild animals. For additional resources, AHS’ Pet Resource Center is available daily from 8 AM to 5 PM at 602.997.7585.

  • Found Cats
  • Check for ID
  • First, check the animal for a collar and any identification they may have to contact its owners.

  • Is This an Outdoor Cat?
  • Cats are considered free-roaming animals by Arizona law, so most shelters (including the Arizona Humane Society) do not take in healthy outdoor cats. In fact, if the cat is ear-tipped (look for a small notch in one ear), it is likely an outdoor cat who has already been spayed or neutered.

    If you’re concerned about your neighborhood’s cat population, research shows that removing cats from a neighborhood is not a permanent solution—it only creates a vacuum for other cats to move in. However, Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) programs are an effective and humane way to stabilize outdoor cat populations, reduce yowling and mating behaviors, and reduce suffering.

    For information on what to do if you’ve found a healthy outdoor cat, visit somanycats.org.

    Additional TNR services:

  • Have You Found a Litter of Kittens?
  • Mom will likely return. Please don’t intervene. When we find a litter of kittens, our good-hearted instincts tell us to rush to the aid of these fragile felines. Thankfully, human intervention is typically not required. In fact, the best thing you can do is leave the kittens alone. Mom will likely return shortly, and it’s critical that the kittens remain in her care as she offers the best chance for survival. If you are extremely certain that the kittens are orphaned, you can then step in and help by caring for the kittens until they’re old enough to find homes.

    See our Found Kittens page for more information on what steps to take if you’ve found kittens.

  • Scan for Microchip
  • If you find a cat without tags, take him to a shelter so he can be scanned for a microchip. Most veterinary clinics and many pet supply stores may also have the ability to scan for microchips.

  • Look for Flyers and Post Your Own
  • Look for “Lost Pet” signs in the area. If you don’t find any, post found cat flyers in the neighborhood. Use online and social media resources to post about the found pet on sites like:

  • Is the Cat Sick or Injured?
    • The Arizona Humane Society accepts all stray pets who are sick, injured or abused. We encourage Good Samaritans who have found sick, injured or abused stray animals to contact our Pet Resource Center at 602.997.7585, ext. 3800 to schedule an appointment so we can be sure to have the necessary resources ready.

    You may bring sick and injured stray pets to:

    Arizona Humane Papago Park Campus

    5501 E Van Buren St.
    Phoenix, AZ 85008
    602.997.7585

    9 AM to 5 PM daily

    Or, call our EAMT™ Dispatch Center at 602.997.7585, ext. 2073 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

    We cannot accept stray turn-ins at our Nina Mason Pulliam South Mountain Campus.

    If you find a sick or injured stray animal after hours, please take them to an emergency animal clinic (EAC).

    EACs will accept that animal and provide them with care and treatment at no cost to you, and our EAMTs™ will pick them up the next day. EACs will not accept stray animals if they are not sick or injured. EACs do not accept mother cats with kittens unless they are sick or injured.

    If the pet is stable enough, another option is to hold onto the sick or injured stray animal overnight, and call AHS in the morning for a pick up by an EAMT™.

  • If You Can’t Take the Cat Into Your Home
  • We understand that certain circumstances may prevent you from temporarily keeping the pet that you have found.

    For healthy stray pets, please contact Maricopa County Animal Care and Control at 602.506.7387.

    To report a lost or found pet, please call MCACC’s Lost/Found Department at 602.372.4598. You can also fill out their online form to report a stray.

    To request an ambulance for a sick or injured stray pet in the Valley, or if you suspect an animal is being abused or neglected, call the Arizona Humane Society’s emergency Field Dispatch at 602.997.7585, ext. 2073 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

    After hours, please contact your nearest emergency animal clinic. They will take the sick or injured pet at no cost to you, and AHS’ Emergency Animal Medical Technicians will pick up the pet the following day for continued medical care.

Homepage Hero Image of Belle with Owner
  • Found Dogs
  • Check for ID
  • First, check the animal for a collar and any identification they may have to contact its owners.

  • Scan for Microchip
  • If you find a dog without tags, take him to a shelter so he can be scanned for a microchip. Most veterinary clinics and many pet supply stores may also have the ability to scan for microchips.

  • Look for Flyers and Post Your Own
  • Look for “Lost Pet” signs in the area. If you don’t find any, post found dog flyers in the neighborhood. Use online and social media resources to post about the found pet on sites like:

  • Is the Dog Sick or Injured?
    • The Arizona Humane Society accepts all stray pets who are sick, injured or abused. We encourage Good Samaritans who have found sick, injured or abused stray animals to contact our Pet Resource Center at 602.997.7585, ext. 3800 to schedule an appointment so we can be sure to have the necessary resources ready.

    You may bring sick and injured stray pets to:

    Arizona Humane Society Papago Park Campus
    5501 E Van Buren St.
    Phoenix, AZ 85008
    602.997.7585

    9 AM to 5 PM daily

    Or, call our EAMT™ Dispatch Center at 602.997.7585, ext. 2073 from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.

    We cannot accept stray turn-ins at our Nina Mason Pulliam South Mountain Campus.

    If you find a sick or injured stray animal after hours, please take them to an emergency animal clinic (EAC).

    EACs will accept that animal and provide them with care and treatment at no cost to you, and our EAMTs™ will pick them up the next day. EACs will not accept stray animals if they are not sick or injured. EACs do not accept mother cats with kittens unless they are sick or injured.

    If the pet is stable enough, another option is to hold onto the sick or injured stray animal overnight, and call AHS in the morning for a pick up by an EAMT™.

  • For Healthy Adult Strays
  • Contact Maricopa County Animal Care and Control‘s Lost & Found service daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. at 602.372.4598.

    You may also surrender a healthy stray dog to Maricopa County Animal Care and Control at one of the below locations. 

    Central/West Valley
    2500 S. 27th Avenue
    Phoenix, AZ 85009
    Contact Info
    602.506.PETS
    Get Directions

    East Valley
    2630 W. Rio Salado Parkway
    Mesa, AZ 85201
    Contact Info
    602.506.PETS
    Get Directions

  • If You Can’t Take the Dog Into Your Home
  • We understand that certain circumstances may prevent you from temporarily keeping the pet that you have found.

    For healthy stray pets, please contact Maricopa County Animal Care and Control at 602.506.7387.

    To report a lost or found pet, please call MCACC’s Lost/Found Department at 602.372.4598. You can also fill out their online form to report a stray.

    To request an ambulance for a sick or injured stray pet in the Valley, or if you suspect an animal is being abused or neglected, call the Arizona Humane Society’s emergency Field Dispatch at 602.997.7585, ext. 2073 between 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.

    After hours, please contact your nearest emergency animal clinic. They will take the sick or injured pet at no cost to you, and AHS’ Emergency Animal Medical Technicians will pick up the pet the following day for continued medical care. 

brown dog running with tennis ball
  • Wild and Exotic Animals
  • Agencies and Contact Information
  • Wild animals, such as bats, foxes, coyotes, raccoons, skunks, squirrels, chipmunks and bobcats/wildcats, can be surrendered to the Arizona Game & Fish Department at one of the following locations:

    Main Office – Phoenix
    5000 W. Carefree Highway
    Phoenix, AZ 85086
    602.942.3000

    Region VI – Mesa
    7200 E. University Drive
    Mesa, AZ 85207
    480.981.9400

    You can also try to contact one of these exotic animal organizations.

a man sits on the couch. dog looks at a dog looking up at him.

Found a Sick or Injured Stray?

If you’re able to bring the injured stray to our Papago Park Campus, we can provide trauma care 9 AM – 5 PM. Please call ahead so we can be ready for you.

Arizona Humane Society Papago Park Campus
5501 E Van Buren St, Phoenix, AZ 85008
602.997.7585
Daily, 9 AM – 5 PM

Or contact:
EAMT™ Dispatch Center
602.997.7585, ext. 2073
Daily, 8 AM – 6 PM

We cannot accept stray turn-ins at our Nina Mason Pulliam South Mountain Campu