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Pet safety guide

Essential tips for lost and found situations, safe handovers, and avoiding scams.

When Your Pet Goes Missing

Search your home and neighborhood thoroughly first
Contact local shelters and vets with your pet's description
Post on social media and community groups immediately
Put out familiar items (bed, toys) near your home
Check with microchip company to ensure contact details are current
Browse our Partner Network for local vets, shelters & rescue groups

If You Find a Lost Pet

Check for tags, collar, or microchip (any vet can scan)
Post in local lost & found groups with photo and location
Contact local council and animal shelters to report
Provide food, water, and a safe space while searching for owner
Do not chase the animal - use treats to coax them close

Verify Ownership Before a Handover

Ask the claimant for photos, records, microchip details, or distinctive features not shown publicly
Arrange a microchip scan through a vet, shelter, council, or authorised registry where possible
Do not reveal every identifying detail in a public post
Remember that a report, message, or AI suggestion does not prove ownership

Meet Safely

Meet in daylight at a public, well-lit location and bring another adult
Prefer a vet, shelter, council facility, or police station when appropriate
Keep communication in the app until you are comfortable sharing contact details
Tell someone where you are going and do not enter an unfamiliar home alone

Avoid Scams and Abuse

Do not send deposits, gift cards, cryptocurrency, verification fees, or reward money before verification
Be cautious of pressure, threats, copied photos, requests for login codes, and claims that cannot be checked
Never share passwords, one-time codes, or full payment-card details
Block and report users who harass, threaten, impersonate, scam, or post harmful content

Emergency Guidance

Call 000 in Australia when a person is in immediate danger
Contact the nearest emergency veterinarian when an animal is injured or critically unwell
Contact local police, council animal services, or an animal-welfare authority for urgent welfare concerns
The Fur Finder is not an emergency or veterinary service

AI matches are suggestions. Verify ownership and identity before relying on them.

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