Providence Animal Center is not contracted for animal control services, and therefore cannot accept stray animals. Contact your municipality/township building to see what animal control service your municipality in contracted with.
Found Pets
If you have found a stray animal in Delaware County:
- Contact 911, let them know it is a “non-emergency” and ask them to transfer you to the Animal Control service contracted to the municipality in which the pet was found to receive further instruction.
- Get the pet scanned for a microchip - vet offices, shelters, boarding facilities and most police officers own microchip scanning wands.
- Post “Found Pet” signs/pictures online including Facebook for your county, Brandywine Valley SPCA's Lost and Found Pets Page, the Nextdoor app, flyers in your neighborhood, or wherever you found the pet.
- Utilize Finding Rover which uses facial recognition technology to help reunite lost dogs and cats with their families.
- If an owner is able to be located, have them provide proof of ownership before relinquishing the found pet
- If you suspect that the pet is suffering from abuse or neglect (within Delaware or Chester Counties) submit an Incident Report to our Humane Law Officers, or call us at 610-566-4575 x214 to report the situation.
Lost Pets
Here are a few suggestions if your pet is lost:
- Contact 911, let them know it is a “non-emergency” and ask them to transfer you to the Animal Control service contracted to the municipality in which the pet was lost, as well as the Animal Control service contracted to the municipality in which the pet lives, to report the pet as lost
- Contact your microchip company to see if they can send out a “lost pet blast” to local vet offices, rescues and police stations.
- Post “Lost Pet” signs/pictures online Facebook for your county, Brandywine Valley SPCA's Lost and Found Pets Page, the Nextdoor app, flyers in your neighborhood, or wherever you found the pet., in your neighborhood or wherever you lost your pet.
- Ask local vet offices, police stations, rescues, neighbors, mail carriers, etc. if they can post signs/keep an eye out for your lost pet.
- If your pet went missing from your home, place items outside that are covered in your/your pet’s scent that your dog or cat may be able to detect.
- For cats, place their litter-box outside (do not clean if possible–a dirty litter-box will be easier for the cat to smell and recognize).
- Utilize Finding Rover which uses facial recognition technology to help reunite lost dogs and cats with their families.
Petco Love Lost (Formerly Finding Rover) uses facial recognition technology to help reunite lost dogs and cats with their families.
If you find a stray dog or cat, report the pet on Petco Love Lost as “lost” or “found” to www.lost.petcolove.org. From there, Petco Love Lost will match the photo with photos of pets that have been reported missing.
To register with Petco Love Lost:
- Visit www.lost.petcolove.org
- Select "I Lost a Pet" or "I Found a Pet"
- Upload your pet’s picture
- Enter your pet’s name, age and breed
- Enter your name, email address and zip code
