Lost Pets

We reunited 4,800 lost pets with their families last year.

Scam alert

Please note, another shelter in Colorado has experienced a scam where people missing their pets receive a phone call from someone claiming to represent the shelter and requesting a Venmo payment to return the pet. HSPPR will never request a Venmo payment. If you receive a similar call, please alert HSPPR immediately at 719-473-1741.

How to find your lost pet

Take a deep breath. We’re here to help. Here’s what you need to do.

1

Search pets online

Check our online database to see if your pet has already been found. You can search photos of pets at the shelter AND pets picked up and temporarily housed by good Samaritans if they completed a found report.

OR

2

Submit a lost pet report and visit the shelter

Completing a lost report every 10 days while your pet is missing will keep your lost report in search results. We strongly encourage you to come to the shelter and walk through the kennels, too. Searching the shelter daily and submitting a lost report every 10 days is the most effective way for you to reunite with your lost pet. 

3

Update microchip contact info

If your pet is microchipped, make sure your contact information is up to date with the microchip registry. Many people change their phone number or move and forget to update their pet’s microchip information. Not sure which registry to contact? If you have your microchip number, you can re-register it here with our friends at Found Animals.

DocuPet

If you have registered your pet’s license through HSPPR, your new Docupet tag comes eqipped with the HomeSafe 24/7 lost pet service. Owners can report their missing pet through their online Docupet account.

Pet owners are encouraged to keep their DocuPet profile up to date with current photos of their pet, medical information, care instructions, identifying features, microchip info, and alternate contacts. The more information in a pet’s profile, the more helpful it will be in getting them home.

Petco Love Lost

Petco Love Lost is a searchable national database that uses patented facial recognition technology to help find lost pets at nearby shelters. Upload a photo of your pet to the Petco Love Lost database after submitting your pet’s lost report to HSPPR. 

Frequently asked questions

Contact us immediately if you believe your pet may be at the shelter. Proof of license and rabies will be required at reclaim, and our customer service team will walk you through other fees. Seniors (65 and older), veterans, and active military members receive 10% off services. One discount per family per visit.

We work hard to ensure the health and safety of your pet while at our facility, even if it’s just for a short time. We do charge boarding fees on a per-day basis to help cover the cost of caring for your pet during her stay. If your pet receives necessary medical care from our veterinary team, the total due may increase. By law, other fees associated with ensuring your pet meets rabies vaccination and licensing regulations may be required. Our customer service team will walk you through a description of these charges.

By law, stray dogs are held a minimum of five days and cats a minimum of three days (five days in Pueblo County) before we can make an animal available for adoption. We evaluate each and every animal as an individual, and there’s never a time limit on how long we’ll care for an animal before he’s adopted. We may also work with other shelters/rescues to assist in assessing the specific needs of a pet. In some cases, seriously ill animals or animals with severe behavior problems may be humanely euthanized. As a socially conscious animal shelter, our focus is on the health and well-being of every animal in our care and the safety of the community.

Unfortunately, some pets come to us deceased – they may have been hit by a car or attacked by a wild animal. Due to the sensitivity of these situations, we don’t post photos online. But we do want to help give you closure. We make a listing of deceased pets received at our facility available here.  Please know this is not necessarily a comprehensive list, as not all animals are able to be picked up and brought in from roadways. The list is typically updated daily, Monday – Friday.

Other resources

Time is critical when your pet goes missing. That’s why it’s so important to begin your search immediately. After you’ve completed the three most important steps above, you might consider calling on other local animal lovers for help. These online resources alert others to keep a lookout.

Find a stray?

Let’s join paws to get ’em a happy tail!