Who are we?

Pet Search is an organisation that started over 17 years ago in March 1992. We stand alone in being the only place dedicated full time to reuniting lost pets. Our staff members are sometimes called lost pet searchers or lost pet detectives. Our only job is to help look for lost pets for people and reunite stray animals. Pet Search is run by Lee, and she is the person most people will meet or talk to over the phone. Other people that assist in the running of Pet Search are Jarred, Narelle and Paul and generally anyone that helps us reunite lost and stray animals, so you are considered an important part of our team as well.

What do we do?

We act as a central place to report lost and found pets. Pet Search has developed over 17 years to offer clients the most up to date research on searching techniques, poster design, printing & distribution and lost pet behaviour. We embrace technology to increase the awareness of lost pets and to spread the message about your lost pet. We now use Twitter, Facebook, email lost pet alerts and combine this with our website and distributing lost pet posters, we now get the message about your lost pet out to more people than ever before.

Our call centre operates from 9am to 5:30pm Monday to Friday (eastern standard time) at most times of the year, but at Easter, Christmas and some school holidays and long weekends, we extend our hours to cater for the increased demand of lost pets at these times and if you need to talk to us outside these hours, let us know, we will be happy to accommodate.

How do we do it?

Firstly, we talk to lost pet owners about the circumstances in which their pet went missing. Things like owners being away, new animals in the household, the season e.g. winter or spring can cause a pet to disappear, other factors we talk about are changes in the pet’s routine, construction work occurring nearby and the lost pets health are other factors that can influence where a lost pet will go and sometimes how other people will interact with them. In general we have an approximate success rate of up to 75% for lost dogs,cats and birds. Lost ferrets are not as common and have very specific searching techniques, and the reuniting rate for ferrets is 90%.

Where do you operate?

To keep with centralizing the information, we run from 1 office in Seven Hills, NSW. This enables us to have all the information on lost and found pets in the one database and also enables our staff to share information easily.

Why isn't Pet Search free?

We hope one day to be able to provide our services free of charge to owners of lost pets. Currently, Pet Search receives no government or other funding, our sole source of funding is from the registration fee to search for a lost pet. We provide assistance to the general community, government departments, local councils, animal control officers, vets, pounds and the RSPCA and other animal welfare agencies but we do not receive any form of financial support for these services. All of these agencies work with us because they see the advantages of how working with Pet Search can help reunite more lost animals and reunite them faster.

A lot of work and research is behind the advice and techniques we provide to clients and we operate a call centre, print and distribute posters and provide fast and efficient services for helping to reunite lost pets.

How do I get my lost pet onto Pet Search?

Send us an email to help@petsearch.com.au with the following details:

• Date your pet went missing
• Suburb & state
• Type of pet e.g. dog, cat, bird
• Together with 1-5 pictures of your lost pet

Or Phone us at anytime on:1300 309 004.

I have found a stray animal what can I do?

If you have found a stray animal, you can search our registered missing pets database to see if we have a pet matching the description of the animal you have in your care. If there are no registered missing pets with a matching description or photo, you can register the animal you have found using the "Report a stray animal" form and by filling in as much detail as you can and including your contact details, Pet Search will be able to stay in contact with you and help you to get the pet back home.

I don’t have a lost pet, and I haven’t found a stray animal, but I want to help people find their lost pets. What can I do?

You can join our Lost Pet Alert. Just put in your email address, name, suburb and postcode and if there is a lost pet in your postcode, we will email you the details. We will also email you when they are reunited, so you can share in the celebrations.