Found a dog? Here's how to find the owner safely
A dog on your property or wandering the road needs a fast, safe path back to its owner. Post a found dog report and Pet Social alerts owners searching in your area — no posters, no phone number on a lamppost.
Step by step
- 1Approach slowly and only if the dog appears calm; use a lead or rope if you can safely contain it.
- 2Check for a collar, tag or QR pet tag — Pet Social QR tags link straight to the owner's profile.
- 3Post a found dog report with a photo and approximate location.
- 4Have the dog scanned for a microchip at any vet — it's free.
- 5Verify the owner in chat before arranging a safe, public handover.
Keeping the dog safe while you search
Contain the dog away from your own pets and children, offer water rather than food, and keep it on a lead outdoors. If the dog is aggressive, injured or you can't contain it, call your council ranger or animal control and still post the report so the owner knows where it was seen.
Verifying the owner
Hold back one identifying detail from your public post and ask claimants to describe it. Genuine owners will have older photos and know the dog's habits and commands.
Frequently asked questions
Who do I call if I find a dog?
Post a found dog report on Pet Social, have the dog scanned for a microchip at a vet, and contact your local council ranger or animal shelter if you can't keep it safely.
Do I have to hand over my personal details?
No. First contact is through in-app chat, and you decide what to share.
Join the Pet Social community
Free to post, free to search, and every first conversation stays private inside the app.