What To Do When You Find a Pet

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Please note: If you find a pet wearing a Knox County rabies tag, please call the Environmental Health Services Department of the Knox County Health Department to have the rabies tag traced. Their phone number is 865-215-5200.

If You Keep the Animal While Trying to Find Its Owner

• Post flyers with information about the found animal and information on how to contact you.
• Put an ad in newspapers.
• List the animal in our online "Found Pet" log.
• Regularly check our online "Lost Pet" log to see if a pet matching the description of the one you have found has been listed as missing.
• Call local veterinary clinics.
• Visit The Pet Rescue web site for more information about lost and found pets.
• Call the Animal Center at 215-6599 to list the found animal in our Found Pet Log, which is kept at the "Lost and Found" reception desk.
• Visit the Animal Center to see if a photo of the pet you have found has been posted in our "Lost and Found" lobby as a missing pet.

If You Cannot Keep the Animal While You Try to Find Its Owners

• Bring the animal to the Animal Center. We do not turn any animals away and we do not charge a fee for turning in an animal from Knox County or the city of Knoxville. A $20 fee per occurrence (not necessarily per animal) of out-of-county surrendered animals, though, is requested. Donations are always gratefully accepted.
• Or, call Animal Control to come and pick up the animal:
  • To reach Knoxville city Animal Control, dial 215-7457.
  • To reach Knox County Animal Control, dial 215-5240.

Stray animals must complete a mandatory 72-hour hold before being made available for adoption. Please realize that while we will do our very best to find the lost pet's owners or a new adoptive family, we may not be able to find a new home for the pet, and there is a chance the animal will be humanely euthanized.