Did you find an animal? Pasadena Humane is here to help. I’ve found…
Pasadena Humane accepts lost, injured and ill animals from Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Glendale, La Cañada Flintridge, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena.
When pet owners lose their pets, one of the first places they look is their local shelter. To help lost pets reunite with their owners as quickly as possible, it is very important that you register stray animals with the shelter that serves your city or zip code. Other local shelter systems include LA Animal Services (serving the City of Los Angeles), LA County Animal Care & Control (serving most areas in Los Angeles County) & San Gabriel Valley Humane Society (serving San Gabriel & Temple City).
To find your local shelter, click the link below to visit the Los Angeles County Animal Care & Control service area locator.
If you have found a friendly, healthy dog:
Please check for ID tags and have the dog scanned for a microchip at a local veterinary clinic to see if it has an owner that it can be reunited with right away.
If the dog has no ID tags or microchip, here are some things to try before you bring the dog to the shelter:
- Create a simple flyer and post it around the neighborhood where you found the dog.
- Create a social media post that includes a photo and description of the dog as well as the location of where you found it. Try posting on your own social media accounts along with Nextdoor and local “Lost & Found Pets of [CITY NAME]” Facebook pages.
- Post a photo of the dog as found on Petco Love Lost and PawBoost.
- Consider keeping the lost dog in your home until the owner is found.
Need more help? Please contact 626.792.7151 for more information on what to do if you’ve found a dog.
If you have found a friendly, healthy cat:
The vast majority of “stray” cats aren’t actually lost – they simply live indoors and outdoors – and will make their way home on their own.
If you feel the cat is truly lost, please check for ID tags and have the cat scanned for a microchip at a local veterinary clinic to see if it has an owner that it can be reunited with right away.
If the cat has no ID tags or microchip, here are some things to try before you bring the cat to the shelter:
- Most cats don’t roam more than 6-7 houses from where they live.
- Create a simple flyer and post it around the neighborhood where you found the cat.
- Create a social media post that includes a photo and description of the cat as well as the location of where you found it. Try posting on your own social media accounts along with Nextdoor and local “Lost & Found Pets of [CITY NAME]” Facebook pages.
- Post a photo of the cat as found on Petco Love Lost and PawBoost.
- Consider keeping the lost cat in your home until the owner is found.
Help! I Found a Kitten
Found kittens outside and don’t know what to do? This flowchart will help you take steps to make the best decisions for their care!
If kittens appear to be ill or injured, bring them to Pasadena Humane* immediately or call 626.792.7151.
*Pasadena Humane accepts animals from the cities of Altadena, Arcadia, Bradbury, Glendale, La Cañada, La Crescenta-Montrose, Monrovia, Pasadena, San Marino, Sierra Madre, and South Pasadena. If you have found kittens outside of our animal control service area, please contact your local shelter.
Found Kittens Do‘s and Don’ts
DO monitor the situation.
Before you act, watch the kittens from a distance. The mother cat is probably nearby. If she doesn’t return within 4-6 hours, they may need assistance.
DON’T move the kittens.
Unless they’re in danger, it’s best to leave unweaned kittens outside so the mother cat can care for them. If you must do something, you can place the kittens in a crate, but do not change their location.
DO be careful when handling kittens.
Baby kittens have a developing immune system and you may inadvertently give them disease. Older kittens may not be friendly and may scratch or bite you if startled or scared.
DON’T Panic.
If you are unable to care for unweaned kittens and they are truly orphaned, we can take them in.
DO volunteer to foster the kittens.
If you determine the kittens are orphaned and you decide to care for them, we can provide resources to make your experience successful.
DO keep orphaned kittens separated from your pets.
This is to prevent fights and minimize the transmission of disease and parasites. Be sure your pets are up to date on vaccines.
DON’T let the circle continue!
Spay or neuter! Pasadena Humane offers public spay/neuter for owned and community cats.
If you have found an ear-tipped cat
If the cat appears healthy AND has an “ear tip” (part of one of the tips of its ears missing), it is a community cat that is already being looked after by one or more people in your neighborhood. Trapping an ear-tipped cat and bringing it to the shelter is extremely distressing and potentially fatal for the cat. Please leave a healthy, ear-tipped cat right where it is.
If you’ve found an unfriendly cat
IF YOU HAVE FOUND A HEALTHY, DOMESTIC CRITTER (EXCLUDING RABBITS)
Domestic critters may include pet guinea pigs, hamsters, rodents, birds and reptiles. Please have the critter scanned for a microchip at a local veterinary clinic to see if it has an owner that it can be reunited with right away. Critters, especially birds and reptiles, are commonly microchipped.
If the critter does not have a microchip, here are some things to try before you bring the animal to the shelter:
- Create a simple flyer and post it around the neighborhood where you found the critter.
- Create a social media post that includes a photo and description of the critter as well as the location of where you found it. Try posting on your own social media accounts along with Nextdoor and local “Lost & Found Pets of [CITY NAME]” Facebook pages.
- Post a photo of the critter as found on PawBoost.
- Consider keeping the lost critter in your home until the owner is found.
Need more help? Please contact 626.792.7151 for more information on what to do if you’ve found a critter. If you have found a rabbit, please click here.
IF YOU HAVE FOUND A RABBIT (WILD & DOMESTIC)
Multiple regions of the United States, particularly the Southwest, are currently experiencing an outbreak of a deadly rabbit disease called Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus (RHDV). Although the virus is not infectious to people or other animals, it is highly infectious among rabbits and has a high mortality rate.
The RHDV outbreak is such a serious threat, that the California Department of Food and Agriculture has implemented a statewide quarantine restricting rabbits from entering our state. RHDV has the potential to cause the extinction of the rabbit population in California and beyond if it continues to spread. Under these circumstances, our ability to accept healthy outdoor rabbits is very limited.
In our partnership with the California Department of Food and Agriculture, we have implemented biosecurity measures at our shelter to reduce the spread of RHDV. If you have come into contact with a:
- Healthy outdoor rabbit of a domestic or wild species, leave the rabbit where it was found, and immediately decontaminate yourself by showering, disinfecting footwear, and disposing of any contaminated clothing.
- Sick or injured outdoor rabbit of a domestic or wild species, leave the rabbit where it was found, immediately call Pasadena Humane at 626.792.7151 ext. 970, and then decontaminate yourself by showering, disinfecting footwear, and disposing of any contaminated clothing.
We continue to intake and care for sick and injured rabbits from our community. We continue to accept owner-surrendered rabbits from our community when owners are unable to find their rabbits new homes. We are committed to keeping the rabbits currently in our care safe from RHDV. We would not be able to navigate this outbreak without the support of our foster volunteers and engaged community members.
For more information on RHDV, please click here.
IF YOU HAVE FOUND A Bird (Domestic or Wild)
Due to the presence of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza (HPAI) recently detected in California, we are taking extra precautions to prevent the spread of disease to animals currently in our care.
At this time, all bird surrenders must have an evaluation at intake. To accomplish this, all bird surrenders must have an appointment. If you have found a domestic bird and are unsure what to do, please contact our animal Resource Center. If you have found a wild bird or are unsure of what type of bird you have found, please text (preferred) or call our Wildlife helpline for assistance before bringing the bird to the shelter: 626.344.1129.*
Healthy Birds
- Domestic: If you can keep the bird in your possession for a few days, please do so. Attempt to find the bird’s owner by putting up flyers in the neighborhood and posting on your local social media sites (Facebook, Nextdoor, etc). If you need to surrender the bird to Pasadena Humane, you must make an appointment with our Animal Resource Center by calling 626.792.7151 ext. 997.
- Wild: Healthy (including orphans): Release the bird where it was found. For assistance on how to reunite babies with their parents, please follow the flowchart or text our wildlife helpline at 626.344.1129.
Sick or Injured
- Domestic & Wild: Text a photo or video (if safe to do so without touching the bird) to the Pasadena Humane Wildlife Helpline at 626.344.1129. Include your name, address where the bird was found, and a brief history of how/why the bird came into your possession. Our helpline personnel will assist you as soon as they are able.
Deceased
- Domestic: Poultry (chicken, pigeon, dove, duck or goose). The California Department of Food and Agriculture (CDFA) is carefully tracking all poultry deaths. Please call their hotline at 866.922.2473 to report this death and follow the instructions given.
- Wild: Immediately report it to the Wildlife Health Laboratory by phone at 916.358.2790 or through the CA Fish and Wildlife website and follow the instructions provided: https://wildlife.ca.gov/Conservation/ Laboratories/Wildlife-Health/Monitoring/Mortality-Report
For more resources on HPAI, visit pasadenahumane.org/hpai.
*Our wildlife helpline is staffed between 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. seven days a week. If you need help after hours, please text the helpline and wait for a response. Refrain from intervention until you speak with a wildlife professional. If humans are in danger, call 911.
If you have found a sick or injured pet
- If you found a sick or injured animal in one of our service areas between 9am-6pm, call 626.792.7151 and dial “0” to speak with a Call Center representative.
- If you call before or after hours, please dial extension 102.
If you’ve found a wild animal
Spring is baby wildlife season. And as the weather warms, we get an increase in calls from good samaritans who have found baby wild animals like squirrels, opossums and birds. Generally, if you find a baby wild animal, the best thing to do is leave it alone.
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Questions about adoption? E-mail us at adoptions@pasadenahumane.org.
