WhatPaw Knowledge Center

Pet Technology and Safety Guides

Explore practical guides on pet health, safety, care, training, travel, smart identification and lost pet recovery.

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Illustration for “What to Do When You Find a Lost Dog or Cat”

Finding a loose dog or cat requires a safe approach, an identification check and a privacy-conscious route to the owner.

Secure the situation safely

  • Consider traffic, frightened behavior and the safety of people and animals before approaching.

Look for identification

  • Check visible tags and scan a QR tag when safe; contact appropriate local services for microchip scanning.

Protect owner and finder privacy

  • Use the contact path supplied by the identification and verify ownership without publicly exposing sensitive details.

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