Found a Stray Animal:

To unite as many lost pets as possible with their rightful owners, FCAS only accepts stray animals that are found in Forsyth County. If you found a pet in a different county, please contact the animal services department of the specific county you found the animal in. This is the most effective way of reuniting a pet with its owner. Owners will do not typically look for their lost pet in another jurisdiction.

Found Stray Kittens:

Did you know kittens are one of the most vulnerable populations in animal shelters and that many end up there because of well-meaning animal lovers? We want to assist you in identifying the best approach for helping kittens in our community. Removing kittens from their current environment may not always be the right answer as the mom cat could be nearby getting food (or hiding from you)—and no one can care for a kitten like their mom can! To help choose the right path for kittens you found, please read our kitten guide before removing kittens from a location. Kitten Guide

Found an Adult Cat:

While we encourage members of the public and adopters to keep their cats indoors, there is still a large population of indoor-outdoor owned cats. Often cats that are redeemed from FCAS are reported as “lost” when in fact they are right outside of their homes. If you find an adult cat, please take the following steps to try and reunite the cat with its owner before bringing it to the FCAS.

Does the cat have a collar, harness, microchip or other indicator of ownership and have you seen this cat in the neighborhood before?

• If yes, please check the collar and tags to see if you can call the owner – most indoor/outdoor cats have a territory of 0.01 miles so they may not be far from home.
• If possible, have the animal scanned at our animal shelter or at a local veterinary hospital for a microchip.
• If the cat is not in distress, appears well groomed, and is in a safe location, he is likely just fine. Please leave cat where it is.
• If the cat is showing signs of injury or illness, please call Forsyth County Animal Services at 770-781-2138 and an Animal Service Officer will be dispatched and triage the situation.

FERAL/Community CATS:

Feral and Community Cats are the number one animal welfare issue effecting Forsyth County. The only HUMANE solution to controlling the feral cat population is through a program called TNR (Trap- Neuter- Return). For more information on how TNR works please visit: https://www.alleycat.org/our-work/trap-neuter-return/ . The Forsyth County Animal Shelter will make every effort to reduce the intake of feral cats into the shelter and promote TNR as a solution to the feral and community cat concerns.

• If you find a cat that appears non-distressed and in a safe location but shows feral behaviors such as avoidance of contact or hiding/darting upon approach, but has an overall well-kempt appearance, this is most likely a feral cat.
• The Forsyth County Animal Shelter will not place feral cats up for adoption.
• Forsyth County Animal Services will not trap or pick up feral cats from the community.
• Cats brought to the Forsyth County Animal Shelter in a trap and deemed feral will be TNR and released back to the location where it was trapped.
• FCAS will help with TNR efforts for a feral or community cat problem on a case-by-case scenario. Please contact the shelter at 678-965-7185 for more information.
• For information to deter feral cats from your property please visit https://www.alleycat.org/community-cat-care/humane-deterrents/

Sick or Injured Cats:

Does the cat appear in distress?

• If the cat is in immediate danger or severely injured and/or sick, please call Animal Services at 770-781-2138.

Found a Dog:

The Forsyth County Animal Shelter will accept stray dogs Tuesday – Saturday 8:30AM– 4:00 PM. If you found a dog outside these hours, or if the dog is injured, sick, or acting aggressively please call our Animal Services department at 770-781-2138.

Before bringing a dog to the shelter, please attempt to locate an owner using the following steps:

1. Check collar & tags on dog for owner contact information – they might be just next door!
2. Call the Forsyth County Animal Shelter to see if we have a matching Lost Animal Report at 678-965-7185. If we do not have a report, we will take a Found Animal Report over the phone.
3. Check Social Media.
   • Check and post on Facebook Pages such as Lost and Found Pets Animals of Forsyth County and Focus on Forsyth.
   • Check and post on your neighborhood dog owners’ group on Facebook.
   • We HIGHLY recommend using Pawboost as it has resulted in many happy reunions.
4. Print Flyers: Pawboostcan help you create flyers to post in your immediate community.

Reclaim Lost Pet: 

If your lost pet was found and has been brought to the Forsyth County Animal Shelter, you may reclaim your pet Monday – Sunday, 8:30AM to 5:00PM.

The following information is required at time of reclaim: 

• Must be 18 years old to reclaim 
• Proof of Ownership (vet records, animal ID, photos) 
• Drivers License or valid picture ID 

Reclaiming a Pet on an owner’s behalf:  

If you are reclaiming an animal for an owner who is not available to come to the shelter themselves, the following information is required for reclaim: 

• A copy of the owner’s driver’s license or valid photo ID  
• A signed and dated letter from the owner stating that they give you (your name must be listed in letter) permission to reclaim their pet on their behalf.  
• Drivers license or valid photo ID of person reclaim on owner’s behalf.  

Fee’s for Reclaiming:  

• Impound Fee $25.00 
• Daily Holding Fee $15.00 per day 
• Processing Fee $60.00 

*Please note there may be additional fee’s if your pet requires medications or emergency veterinary care.