Lost/Found Animals

What to Do and Who to Contact

LOST PETS

If you have lost your pet, time is of the essence. Minnesota State Law requires animal shelters and stray holding facilities to hold and advertise stray pets for 5 business days only. After 5 days, these pets may be placed for adoption. It is also important to know that there are many places strays may be taken, so get ready to make some phone calls and spend some time searching for your pet online!

Gather Information

Have your contact information ready to share when you are calling or doing online searches. A recent photo of your dog/cat and description (tags and if the animal is micro chipped), and time and location last seen. Include the closest street if possible.

Phone Call List

Your neighbors in a wide radius (animals can travel on further than people expect)
Your veterinarian
Your local shelter - you can also set up an appointment to see if we have your missing cat or dog.
UsePetfinder to locate area shelters that may also have your pet.
Local newspaper
Local Police/Sheriff
City impound
City of Hutchinson Impound
Contact Animal Medical Center on the Crow River 320-587-4044
City of Cokato
Contact Associated Vet Clinic (320) 286-5102
Cities of Glencoe, Lester Prairie, and Carver-Scott County
Contact Countryside Vet in Norwood-YA (952) 442-4200
City of Winsted
Contact Lester Prairie Vet (320) 395-2421
Meeker and Kandiyohi Counties
Contact Hawk Creek Shelter in Willmar 320-235-7612

Online Searches

Social Media
Post on local Facebook groups such as Life in Hutchinson or Lost Dogs of Minnesota
Instagram
Next Door app
Center for Lost Pets
Lost Dogs of Minnesota

Old School

Post flyers of your lost cat or dog around your neighborhood and in local businesses.
Call KDUZ Radio in Hutchinson 320-587-2140 and ask them to make an announcement about your lost pet on the air. This is a free service.

FOUND PETS

Did you find a cat? A stray cat that appears to be friendly and healthy is probably a cat that lives in your neighborhood. Cats have a better chance of getting back home when they are left in the area that they are found. Less than 5% of stray cats brought to shelters are reclaimed by their owners. For this reason we encourage you to leave healthy and friendly cats where you found them.

Did you find a dog? Check with your neighbors to make sure it does not belong to them. Check for reported lost animals at the police/sheriff, local vets, newspapers, radio stations, social media, and HMAS.

If you found a pet in Hutchinson or surrounding communities, please call us at 320-234-9699 to see if their owner has called us and filed a lost pet report. If we do not have a match and have room at the shelter, we will take your contact information and schedule an appointment to do a stray intake. We'll scan for a micro chip and give them an initial evaluation for placement. Stray animals are held for the state-mandated five days to provide owners time to relocate lost pets. If an owner doesn’t come forward, the animal will be be prepared to be moved to the adoption floor.

Animals found in the Hutchinson city limits can be taken to the city impound hosted by the Animal Medical Center. Call the police non-emergency number 320-587-2242 to report the found animal. Use the resources listed under Lost Pets to locate other area impounds.

If possible, do not remove the pet from the site where you have found it until the appropriate authorities, sheriff or police department has been contacted. Some jurisdictions have strict policies on only picking up stray animals from the location they were found.