Lost and found dogs and cats
Missing dogs and cats
If you have lost your dog or cat, please consider the following:
Ensure your pet's details are up to date on Dogs and Cats Online and all contact phone numbers are current. If you have failed to register you dog or cat, please ensure your animal's microchip details are updated on their relevant microchip database and:
1) contact council to notify us of your missing dog or cat 8416 6333
2) check our Facebook page for recently impounded animals
3) contact the Animal Welfare League on 8348 1300
4) contact the RSPCA on 1300 477 722
5) notify local and nearby veterinary clinics
6) notify neighbouring councils
7) check social media Facebook 'lost pet' pages
8) place an advertisement in the paper stating the breed, sex, colour, age, any identification, where and when your dog or cat was lost and your phone number
9) put a notice in your local supermarket or deli
10) ask at your local school and shopping centre.
How we help
We make every effort to reunite wandering dogs and owners as quickly as possible.
We check:
- registration discs and id tags
- microchip number, and search all national microchip databases for owner contact information
- our lost dog register
- social media Facebook 'lost pet' pages.
We display impounded dog notices:
Dogs whose owners cannot be contacted will be held at our impound facility. Dogs must be claimed within 72 hours of being impounded or they become the property of the council.
Currently there is no legislative requirement for council to address stray or un-owned cats. If you have lost your cat, you can contact the Animal Welfare League on 8348 1300 or the RSPCA on 1300 477 722 during their opening hours to check whether it has been taken to the shelter.
If you find a stray dog
During office hours
Report it to us immediately on8416 6333. An authorised officer will collect the dog and return the dog to their owner or impound the dog at an approved facility for suitable care until the owner can be located. Do not remove any identification
Outside of office hours
Report it to us on 8416 6333. Council's afterhours service line will answer and direct your enquiry through to the appropriate channel.
- For dogs that are contained, the afterhours service line will contact a Community Safety Officer who will attend and collect the dog from the location of containment.
- Unfortunately Officers cannot attend for dogs that are not contained, however the afterhours service line will send a notification to the Community Safety Team for the following business day.
Abandoned animals
It is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 1985 (Formerly Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1985) to abandon a dog or cat. Severe penalties apply. View the Animal Welfare Act 1985. If you are unable or unwilling to care for your dog or cat, please contact your local animal shelter to discuss surrender options.
If you wish to report animals that have been abandoned or cruelty concerns relating to mistreatment, harming animals, not providing owned animals with adequate food, water or shelter, please report the matter to RSPCA SA on 1300 477 722.
Deceased animals
If you find a deceased animal and it is located on Council land (i.e. a Council owned road, reserve, park) contact Council on 8416 6333 to make a report. You can also report this online using the 'general request' section.
To help our staff locate the animal, please provide details of the street, suburb and a locator so that we can identify the location. Staff will attend the area to remove the animal, which will then be scanned for a microchip (all domestic cats and dogs are scanned). If the animal is microchipped, we will notify the owner.