Guide
I found a dog
What to do, in order, when you find a loose or stray dog, so you stay safe and the dog has the best chance of getting home.
Resource library
Practical guides, printable tools and trusted outside resources, with Miami and South Florida first. Search, or browse by topic.
Tools you can use right now
- Lost & found flyer builderMake a printable lost or found flyer
- Vet clinic directoryEmergency hospitals and everyday clinics
- Found-dog checklistReport, scan and search, step by step
- Lost-dog checklistYour first-day and every-day search plan
- New-adopter checklistGet your home and routine ready
- Foster-home checklistQuestions to ask and things to prepare
Browse and search
58 results
Lost & Found
Reuniting dogs with their families, from microchips to flyers.
Guide
I lost my dog
A calm, step-by-step plan for the first hours and the days after, with the Miami-Dade places to check.
Article
Microchips, explained
What a microchip does and doesn't do, how a lookup works, and the one step most owners forget.
Article
Returning a found dog safely
How to check that someone is really the owner, protect your own information, and avoid scams.
Article
Writing a lost or found notice that works
What to include, what to leave out, and where to post so the right people see it.
Tool
Lost & found flyer builder
Add a photo and details, choose what contact info to show, then print or save a flyer.
Checklist
Found-dog checklist
Tick these off as you go. The first section matters most in the first 72 hours.
Checklist
Lost-dog checklist
Work down the list. The second section is worth repeating every day until your dog is home.
Outside resource
MDAS Lost & Found Pets (opens in a new tab)
How to report a found pet (required in Miami-Dade) and search for a lost one, including the county's online report form.
Outside resource
Broward County Animal Care: Lost & Found (opens in a new tab)
Broward's shelter in Fort Lauderdale. Report lost or found pets and check the shelter. Holds pets with ID 5 days, without ID 3 days.
Outside resource
Palm Beach County Animal Care & Control (opens in a new tab)
Palm Beach County's shelter in West Palm Beach, with online lost and found dog reports.
Outside resource
Fénix Animal Project: Lost & Found (opens in a new tab)
Report a lost or found animal and browse listings. Open to lost and found animals anywhere in the world.
Outside resource
Petco Love Lost (opens in a new tab)
Free lost and found pet database with photo matching, used by Miami-Dade Animal Services and thousands of shelters.
Outside resource
AAHA microchip registry lookup (opens in a new tab)
Enter a chip number to see which registry holds it. It doesn't show owner details; you contact the registry.
Rescue Basics
Safe first steps when you step in to help a dog.
Guide
I rescued a dog
You've stepped in for a dog. Here's how to handle the vet visit, a calm space at home, the first few weeks and what comes next.
Article
What Miami-Dade requires when you find a dog
The 72-hour reporting and scanning rule, how long the shelter holds strays, and what state law does and doesn't say.
Article
Approaching a scared or unfamiliar dog
Body language to watch for, how to make yourself less scary, and when to step back and call for help.
Outside resource
Miami-Dade Animal Services (opens in a new tab)
The county's public shelter and animal control. Report strays, search for lost pets and adopt. Main shelter: 3599 NW 79 Ave, Doral. Call ahead for hours.
Outside resource
Report a stray dog (MDAS) (opens in a new tab)
Ask Animal Services to pick up a stray dog. Dogs on an expressway: Florida Highway Patrol, *347.
Adoption & Fostering
Choosing well, preparing, and settling in.
Article
Rehoming a dog safely: why "free to a good home" is dangerous
A dog is a lifetime commitment. If you truly can't keep yours, never give them away for free or unaltered. Here are the steps that keep them out of the wrong hands.
Article
Questions to ask before you adopt
Good questions for any rescue or shelter, so you choose a dog whose needs fit your life.
Article
Why we say "adopt, don't shop"
What puppy mills are, why pet-store and online puppies are risky, and how adoption helps.
Article
What fostering a dog involves
How long placements last, what organizations usually cover, and questions to ask before you say yes.
Checklist
New-adopter checklist
Everything to have in place before, and just after, your new dog comes home.
Checklist
Foster-home checklist
Use this before you say yes to a foster dog, and on the day they arrive.
Outside resource
MDAS foster program (opens in a new tab)
Foster a dog for the county shelter. MDAS provides training and supplies; check the page for current requirements.
Outside resource
Maddie's Fund: fostering shelter dogs (opens in a new tab)
What fostering a shelter dog usually involves, and what organizations typically cover.
Outside resource
Humane World for Animals: puppy mills (opens in a new tab)
How puppy mills work and how to avoid supporting them.
Everyday Care & Nutrition
Licensing, vaccines and the routine care every dog needs.
Article
First vet visit, rabies and your county license
What to bring to a new dog's first vet visit, and the rabies and license rules in Miami-Dade.
Outside resource
Miami-Dade dog license (opens in a new tab)
Dogs over four months need a county license tag and a current rabies vaccine. Buy at the shelter, vets or 311 service centers.
Behavior & Adjustment
Introductions, training and helping a dog feel safe.
Article
The first three months with a new dog
What to expect as a newly adopted or rescued dog settles in, using the ASPCA's 3-3-3 guideline.
Article
Introducing a new dog to your dog
A calm, step-by-step way to introduce dogs on neutral ground, and what to watch for.
Article
Finding a humane trainer
Why veterinary behaviorists recommend reward-based training, and how to find a qualified trainer.
Outside resource
ASPCA: common dog behavior issues (opens in a new tab)
Free articles on barking, chewing, resource guarding, separation anxiety and more.
Outside resource
CCPDT certified trainer directory (opens in a new tab)
Find a certified professional dog trainer near you by ZIP code.
Outside resource
AVSAB position statements (opens in a new tab)
Veterinary behaviorists on humane, reward-based training and how to choose a trainer.
Affordable Care & Supplies
Lower-cost vet care and help paying for it.
Article
Affordable vet care in Miami
Lower-cost vaccines, spay/neuter and checkups in Miami-Dade, plus help paying for urgent care.
Tool
Vet clinic directory
Hours, walk-in policies, phone numbers and addresses for 6 emergency hospitals and 6 everyday clinics in Miami-Dade.
Outside resource
MDAS low-cost vaccine clinic (opens in a new tab)
Walk-in vaccines and microchips at the county shelter, with reduced prices for people on public benefits.
Outside resource
MDAS spay/neuter (opens in a new tab)
Low-cost spay and neuter for Miami-Dade residents at clinics in Doral and Homestead. Free for veterans with a DD-214.
Outside resource
ASPCA Community Veterinary Clinic, Liberty City (opens in a new tab)
Lower-cost exams, vaccines, spay/neuter and microchips for Miami-Dade residents, with a discounted tier for people on benefits.
Outside resource
Humane Society of Greater Miami: preventive care (opens in a new tab)
Vaccines, exams and preventives (not treatment for sick or injured animals). By appointment or walk-in.
Outside resource
Pet Help Finder (opens in a new tab)
Search by ZIP code for local help with vet costs, food and other pet needs.
Outside resource
RedRover Relief (opens in a new tab)
Grants toward urgent, life-threatening vet care for pet owners, Good Samaritans and rescuers. Check current eligibility.
Outside resource
Humane World for Animals: trouble affording your pet? (opens in a new tab)
A list of national financial-aid groups, payment plans and other options.
Emergency & Disaster Prep
Injuries, poisoning and hurricane season.
Guide
A dog is hurt or in danger
Who to call and how to stay safe when a dog is injured, very sick, poisoned, being hurt, or in traffic.
Article
A hurricane plan for your dog
What to pack, where to go, and the Miami-Dade rules for evacuating with pets.
Article
Emergency numbers to save now
The phone numbers to save in your contacts today, so you're not searching in a crisis.
Outside resource
Miami-Dade pet-friendly evacuation centers (opens in a new tab)
What to bring and the rules for evacuating with pets during a hurricane. No pre-registration required.
Outside resource
Florida Division of Emergency Management: Make a Pet Plan (opens in a new tab)
Florida's guide to a pet disaster kit and evacuation plan.
Outside resource
ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center (opens in a new tab)
Open 24/7 for possible poisonings. A consultation fee may apply.
Outside resource
Pet Poison Helpline (opens in a new tab)
24/7 poison advice line staffed by veterinary experts. A per-incident fee applies.
Outside resource
AVMA: First aid tips for pet owners (opens in a new tab)
Veterinarians' guidance on handling and transporting an injured animal safely.
Outside resource
American Red Cross: pet disaster preparedness (opens in a new tab)
What to pack in a pet emergency kit and how to plan ahead.
Support for Rescuers
For independent rescuers and volunteers doing the hard parts.
Article
A toolkit for independent rescuers
For people who help dogs on their own. The essentials for doing it safely, legally and sustainably.
Article
Reporting animal cruelty in Miami-Dade
Who to call, what to write down, and how to make a report that can be acted on.
Outside resource
Report animal cruelty (MDAS) (opens in a new tab)
Report neglect or cruelty to Animal Services. If cruelty is happening right now, call 911.
Outside resource
Miami-Dade State Attorney: Animal Cruelty Unit (opens in a new tab)
The prosecutors' unit for animal cruelty cases in Miami-Dade.
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