Lost and Stray Pets

Lost and Stray Pets

Reuniting lost pets with owners

WCHS works with the local community to reunite lost animals with their owners. Our Lost & Found Center provides a searchable list of all animals reported to us as lost or found. If you lose your pet or you find a lost animal, please submit a Lost & Found Report here.

We also help prevent lost pets through our shelter’s micro-chipping program. Every pet that comes through our doors receives a microchip implant with information about the pet. If the pet is subsequently lost, any veterinarian or shelter can immediately locate the name of its owner simply by scanning the pet with a special wand.

Our shelter’s lost & found policies

Dogs and cats that come to the shelter as strays are held for 5 business days. If they are not claimed within that timeframe, they become the property of WCHS. Once they pass their temperament test and behavior evaluation, they are available for adoption.

All strays currently residing at the shelter are listed on our Lost & Found Center page. You can easily locate these animals by clicking the Search Category Windham County Humane Society on the left-hand side of the page. If you are the owner of any of these animals or you know who the owner is, please call the shelter at 802 254 2232.

If you come to the shelter to claim a stray animal, please bring with you something that substantiates your ownership of the animal. Examples of proof of ownership include a town pet license, a rabies license or other vaccination certificate, microchip registration, copies of your pet's vet records, etc.

If you are a resident of the town of Brattleboro, please be aware that WCHS may release a dog to its owner only when the owner is able to present his/her dog's town license. Exceptions to this requirement are possible only with the permission of the Brattleboro Police Department.

To help cover the cost of providing temporary care for lost animals, pet owners are responsible for paying a boarding fee in the amount of $15 per day for cats and $20 per day for dogs. An additional impoundment fee will be charged by the Town of Brattleboro for strays brought in from the town of Brattleboro.

What to do if you find a stray animal

If you notice a stray animal in your neighborhood, what should you do?  First of all, please be aware that approaching a strange animal can be dangerous even if they appear friendly.  It is usually best to let those who are trained in animal handling to collect a stray animal. Please note that Windham County Humane Society does not have staff who can collect an animal.  We can only accept animals that are brought to our shelter.

Who you should call varies by town.  For a list of animal control officers by town, please click here. It is best to call your designated ACO to come collect the stray and handle it as each town dictates.

If you do have a stray animal in your possession, you can bring it to the shelter during our open hours (or call for an appointment) if the stray is from the following towns:

For towns not listed above, please contact your town offices or constable to receive instructions for the stray animal.