Do not chase, call, whistle, clap or try to grab them.
Stop moving toward the dog. Turn sideways, avoid direct eye contact and quietly record the exact location and direction of travel. A familiar dog may not respond normally once fear takes over.
START HERE
Six actions that build a useful search.
These steps can run at the same time. Keep one person coordinating information so the search does not become noisy, duplicated or based on rumours.
01
Confirm the last known point
Write down the exact place, time and circumstances your pet disappeared. If someone saw them leave, record the direction of travel and what happened immediately beforehand.
02
Check the property properly
Search every room, cupboard, garage, shed, vehicle, roof space and possible hiding place. Secure gates and doors, and keep other animals safely contained while you work.
03
Keep the area calm
Avoid turning the last known location into a busy meeting point. Noise, unfamiliar people and repeated calling can push a frightened animal away or keep them hidden.
04
Mark the microchip record
Report your pet as missing on the NSW Pet Registry and confirm the phone number, email and usual address attached to the record are correct and monitored.
05
Notify the right organisations
Contact the local council, nearby pounds and shelters, veterinary clinics and emergency animal hospitals. Include surrounding council areas because a pet may cross a boundary or be transported by a finder.
06
Publish one clear alert
Use a recent photo, suburb, nearest cross streets, date and time, a reliable contact number and precise instructions for sightings. Keep the same core information everywhere you post.
SEARCH THE ANIMAL IN FRONT OF YOU
Dogs and cats often need different tactics.
Temperament, health, location and what caused the escape all matter. These are starting principles—not a substitute for adapting to the behaviour being observed.
DOG
Reduce pressure. Build a movement pattern.
Do not chase, call, whistle, clap, crowd or try to grab a dog that is avoiding people.
Keep one calm person at, or returning regularly to, the last known point where it is safe to do so.
Ask the public to observe from a distance and report the exact location, time and direction—not to join the pursuit.
Plot confirmed sightings in time order before shifting search activity or equipment.
When a repeatable pattern appears, a monitored food station and remote camera can help establish behaviour without pressure.
Humane trapping should be planned for the individual dog and monitored by experienced people.
CAT
Search close, quiet and thoroughly.
Search inside the home again. Frightened cats can remain silent in spaces that appear too small or unlikely.
Work outwards slowly through garages, sheds, roof spaces, under decks, drains, dense plants and underneath or inside vehicles.
Ask neighbours to physically inspect locked sheds, garages and storage areas rather than only looking from the doorway.
Search during quiet periods with a torch; reflected eyes can reveal a cat that does not answer or move.
Use a consistent, monitored point for food instead of scattering food across a wide area.
Do not assume a roaming cat is unowned. Any safely contained cat should be scanned for a microchip.
SIGHTINGS DRIVE THE SEARCH
“Seen nearby” is not enough.
A useful sighting lets the search team plot movement and decide what should happen next. Ask witnesses for details while the event is still fresh.
02Time seen and how long the animal remained visible
03Direction of travel when the animal left
04Behaviour, speed, posture and any visible injury
05A photo or video taken from a safe distance, if possible
06The witness’s name and a number for prompt follow-up
POSTERS AND SOCIAL MEDIA
Make the message readable in seconds.
One strong, consistent alert is more useful than several versions with conflicting instructions. Do not publish the full microchip number or every private feature you may need to verify ownership.
One large, current and recognisable photograph
Pet type, size, colour and distinctive features
Suburb and nearest cross streets—not an unhelpful broad region
Date and time last confirmed, plus direction of travel if known
A phone number that will be answered at any hour
Clear wording: DO NOT CHASE, CALL, WHISTLE OR CLAP—REPORT SIGHTINGS
WHEN SIGHTINGS FORM A PATTERN
Stabilise one location before trying to capture.
A reliable feeding point and remote camera can help confirm when an animal returns, how they approach and whether they are injured. Keep the location consistent, limit visitors and record every change.
Moving food, cameras or traps after every unconfirmed report can erase the pattern you are trying to build. Humane traps must be suitable for the animal, secured, monitored and used as part of a planned recovery—not left as an unattended shortcut.
MAKE THE PET FINDABLE
Tell every place a finder may go.
Give each organisation the same current photo, description, last known location, microchip number where appropriate and a reliable contact number.
01
NSW Pet Registry
Mark the pet as missing and immediately verify every contact field on the record.
02
Councils and pounds
Report the pet to your local council and neighbouring council areas. Ask how found animals and after-hours collections are recorded.
03
Veterinary clinics
Notify regular, local and emergency vets. A found or injured pet may be taken directly to the nearest clinic for a scan.
04
Shelters and rescue groups
Provide the same current photo and description, then check back. New animals can enter care after your first call.
PROTECT THE SEARCH
Do not enter dangerous areas.
Never enter roads, rail corridors, waterways, construction sites or private property to follow an animal. If the situation creates an immediate danger to people or traffic, call 000. For an injured animal, contact the nearest veterinary hospital and follow safe instructions.
PROTECT YOURSELF
Be alert to lost-pet scams.
Ask a claimed finder for a photo or a private identifying detail before accepting the claim. Never send money, reveal banking credentials or share verification codes. Keep suspicious messages and contact Police if you believe the pet was stolen or someone is attempting extortion.
THE SEARCH CONTINUES
Persistence must stay organised.
01
Keep a single log of every call, message, sighting and search location.
02
Re-check pounds, shelters, veterinary clinics and online found-pet posts regularly.
03
Refresh damaged posters and expand carefully from confirmed information rather than guesses.
04
Update public posts when a sighting is verified so helpers are working from the same facts.
05
When your pet is home, mark them found, remove posters and arrange a veterinary check if needed.
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This guide provides general lost-pet information for NSW. Every case is different. Follow current instructions from your council, veterinary professionals, emergency services and the recovery team managing the case. Information reviewed August 2026.
