What to do if you've lost an animal... If you have lost an animal in the south east of Essex please scroll through our database of found animals in case we have had them reported to us as being found already. We suggest you also scroll through our rainbow bridge category to put your mind at rest, and our rehoming section too as unclaimed and unmicrochipped animals can be rehomed within 7 days. If you have lost a dog, please go to our section on lost and found dogs. If you cant find your pet in our database, the first thing you need to do is make some leaflets and posters with your pet's information on explaining where and when they were lost and ask people to check their sheds and garages, and post these leaflets through your neighbours' letterboxes for at least 50 houses in each direction. The leaflets are especially important as not everyone goes out every day to see the posters so this way you know all your immediate neighbours will be looking out for your pet as soon as possible. Also put up posters in surrounding streets, vets, schools, bus stops and so on. You can also create free downloadable leaflets and posters with your pet's details by clicking here. Then share their details on social media, making sure you share it to our Pet Search South East Facebook page where we will then share to various other organisations for you. Next steps...
- Call all of your local vets (click here for contact numbers)
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If your pet is microchipped, call the relevant microchip company to report your lost pet and to check all
your contact details are up to date:
Microchip Companies Petlog 08706 066751 Identibase 01904 487600 - Register for free with Scanner Angel and create an alert for any vet that scans your pet's chip that will tell them the animal has been reported missing.
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Report on other sites. Please note some of these services may charge. Make sure to also check out their found sections as well.
Missing Pet Websites National Pet Register click here Animal Search UK click here Pets Located click here -
If your pet is not microchipped, please contact the below vets, rescue centres and catteries urgently.
Unchipped cats can be taken out of this area or rehomed within a few days of being found.
Vets, Rescue Centres & Catteries RSPCA Essex South Southend Branch 077491 75023 Basildon RSPCA Branch 01708 381822 Chelmsford RSPCA Branch 01245 478886 Romford RSPCA Branch 01708 381822 Earls Hall Hospital 01702 322222 Earls Hall Vets (Eastwood) 01702 421617 Earls Hall Vets (Ashingdon) 01702 543701 Earls Hall Vets (Shoeburyness) 01702 299554 PDSA Vange Clinic 01268 555100 Medivets 01702 526666 Your Vets Rayleigh 01268 745180 Vets4Pets Rayleigh 01268 772283 Vets 4 Pets Southend 01702 466718 Vets 4 Pets Leigh on Sea 01702 471540 Cats Protection Southend 07914843587 (Lost) / 07795802007 (Found) Cats Protection Rayleigh & Castle Point 07521977059 Basildon Cats Protection 01268 285778 Hornchurch & District Cats Protection 01708 755211 Thurrock Cats Protection 03453 712752 Chelmsford Cats Protection 01245 478389 Shaylin Cattery 01702 346413 Shangri La Cattery 01702 232096 / 07830224068 The South Essex Wildlife Centre 01375 893893 Orphan Annie's Cat Rescue 07761748983 Purrs Cat Rescue 07828191481 Woodland Animal Rescue 07707578669 - Please be aware! An unmicrochipped animal can be taken out of the area it was found in and rehomed within days. In case this has happened to yours, please check our rehoming section to see the pets listed with us as looking for homes as well as clicking on the banner below to visit a website used by many local rescues to advertise cats in their care.
- Also email New Hope Animal Rescue by clicking here
- To put your mind at rest also get in touch with Veolia Environmental Services on 02035676955, 01268 557464 or 01268 523387 who collect and dispose of the remains of deceased animals reported to them locally.
What to do if you've found an animal... If the animal is injured or sick, please contact the RSPCA helpline on 0300 1234 999. Choose Option 4 then Option 1 when prompted. For an inspector to attend they usually ask that the animal is confined so that they can collect them quickly and easily. If you have found a dog, please go to our section on lost and found dogs. If you have found a cat:
- Please don’t assume that a cat has been abandoned just on its appearance. They may have been living outside while trying to find their way home, or they may be elderly or have a medical condition.
- Please try and find their owner safely. People may offer to take the animal to a vet for you or provide shelter while you search and so on. Sadly there is no way of knowing if these people are genuine - we are seeing more and more cases of people scouring lost and found sites claiming any found cat as their own and often selling them on for a profit. In many cases people even use photos shared on social media by the genuine owners in order to "prove" the cat belongs to them.
- Please contact your local Cats Protection branch. They will help scan, shelter and advertise them through the branch so you do not have to give out your own contact details. In the event the owner cannot be found and the animal must be rehomed they can perform thorough home checks to ensure they go to a good home. All the contact details of your local Cats Protection branch can be found on our lost and found guide.
What to do if you've lost or found a dog... First contact your microchip company to report them as missing then call the relevant numbers below.
| Dogs lost or found in Basildon | |
|---|---|
| Basildon Council | 01268 533333 (Option 6) |
| Acres Way | 01268 770402 (Out of hours: 01268 527317) |
| Medivets | 01702 526666 |
| Dogs lost or found in Thurrock | |
|---|---|
| Thurrock Council | 01375 652955 (Out of hours: 01375 372468) |
| Medivets | 01702 526666 |
| Acres Way | 01268 770402 (Out of hours: 01268 527317) |
| Dogs lost or found in Chelmsford | |
|---|---|
| Chelmsford Council | 01245 606606 (Out of hours: 01245 606511) |
| Dogs lost or found in Southend | |
|---|---|
| Southend Council | 01702 215000 (Out of hours: 01702 215005) (Option 5) |
| Acres Way | 01268 770402 (Out of hours: 01268 527317) |
| Medivets | 01702 526666 |
| Dogs lost or found in Rochford | |
|---|---|
| Rochford Council | 01702 318111 or 01702 546366 (Out of hours: 01268 527317 |
| Dog Warden | 01268 770402 |
| Dogs lost or found in Castle Point | |
|---|---|
| Castle Point Council | 01268 882200 (Out of hours: 01268 758357) |
| Acres Way | 01268 770402 (Out of hours: 01268 527317) |
| Medivets | 01702 526666 |
01633 668364 so you can print off posters and get further advice and support from their volunteers.
