Manual For Pet FBI "Special Agents"

Pet FBI Manual For Special Agents "Detective Division" ​

How Anyone Can Help Lost Pets Get Back Home ​

STEP ONE - Sign up for Special Agent Alerts

Get a real time email alert whenever a lost or found pet is reported for your chosen area. (Zip Code + radius, up to 50 miles). You can also specify one or more species of pets. Once you sign up, you will start receiving Special Agent Alerts delivered right to your inbox. You can change your settings or unsubscribe at any time.

If you want to share the information to your Facebook page, NextDoor, or to neighborhood Facebook groups, it's an easy two or three click process.

STEP TWO - Download the Toolkit

STEP THREE - Connect the Dots!

Lost and Found Pet Reports are scattered everywhere! That makes it hard for people who have lost a pet to connect with the people who have found it. The Pet FBI lost pet database is extensive and easy to use, but there are still many other websites and social media sites where lost and found pets are posted.

As a Pet FBI Special Agent, your role is to help connect Pet FBI reports with matching reports from other sources. For example, you might match a lost dog report on Pet FBI with a found dog report on Nextdoor, Facebook, or another community platform that appears to involve the same pet.

Many pet owners are overwhelmed with worry when their beloved companion goes missing. In their distress, they often post information in only one or two places or focus all their energy on searching in person. As a result, important connections can easily be missed.

That's where dedicated volunteers like you make a difference. By staying calm, observant, and methodical, you can search across multiple sources, identify potential matches, and help reunite lost pets with their families. Your careful investigative work can provide the breakthrough that brings a pet safely home.

Here are a few suggestions of places to check for lost and found pet reports:

1. Nextdoor - Check both "Lost and Found" and the "Pets" section. People post lost and found pets in both categories. You could also contact the poster and refer them to Pet FBI.
2. Lost and Found Facebook pages - you will have to research these by doing a search for your area
3. Your local Humane Society and shelter Facebook pages
4. Your local shelter's web page - if they post intakes
5. HomeAgain - Sign up for notifications of pets lost in your area that have a HomeAgain microchip
6. Petco Love Lost - Search the listings at Petco Love Lost

Most Special Agents find it helpful to develop a simple system for keeping track of reports and possible matches. Whether it's a spreadsheet, a document on your computer, bookmarked reports, or another method that works for you, staying organized can make the search process easier. Many volunteers also choose to focus on a specific geographic area, such as their city or county, which allows them to become familiar with local resources and reports.

One of the most helpful things you can do is encourage people to submit their lost or found pet reports to Pet FBI. When they do, they gain access to Pet FBI's automatic Potential Match Alerts, which notify them of potential matches as new reports are added to the database. For example, someone who submits a lost cat report will automatically receive alerts about newly reported found cats within a 25-mile radius of the zip code provided in the report.

PetFBI.org also offers a wealth of resources for pet owners, including practical search tips and detailed guidance for both lost and found pet situations. Best of all, these services are completely free, because finding a beloved pet should never depend on someone's ability to pay.

Every Special Agent develops their own approach over time. The most important thing is a willingness to stay engaged, be observant, and keep looking for connections that others may have missed. The reward comes when a clue you uncover helps reunite a lost pet with the people who love them.

Thank you for being part of the Pet FBI team and for helping bring pets home.