I found a stray, what do I need to do?

The most important thing is to never approach an animal that you think may be dangerous. Your personal safety is very important to us. If the animal appears to be friendly, check for tags and call the numbers. Arrange a meeting with the owner if you can locate one. If the animal is not wearing tags, bring him or her to the Fayetteville Animal Shelter or the nearest veterinary clinic to have it scanned for a microchip. If you like to go an extra step, we also recommend posting on social media such as the Nextdoor app or your neighborhood Facebook group.

Within Fayetteville city limits we will come to pick up stray dogs. Per city ordinance, stray cats must be confined in a carrier of some sort before we can pick it up. If you can not get close enough to the animal to check for tags or it is not wearing tags, call Animal Services at 479-444-3456 so that we can attempt to capture it. If you have found a stray, but don't wish to surrender it to the shelter, submit a Found Pet Report via the city's website. Be aware that once the animal has been in your possession for 72 hours you will need to make an appointment to surrender it to the shelter. For more information, contact Animal Services at 479-444-3456.

Found Pet Forms

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1. How much does it cost to adopt a new pet?
2. What do I need to do if an animal bites me?
3. Whom do I call if I have an after hours emergency that involves animals?
4. What kinds of donations does the Animal Shelter need?
5. I just moved into Fayetteville. How do I register my pet's microchip?
6. What do I need to know about rabies?
7. I put in an application to adopt one of your animals, why do I have to wait to bring it home?
8. Are you a "No Kill" shelter?
9. Is Animal Services responsible for picking up dead animals?
10. My pet is sick, what do I need to do?
11. What can I do to get involved with the Fayetteville Animal Shelter?
12. What do you do with the money I donated to the Animal Shelter?
13. Who is responsible for registering my pet's microchip?
14. I lost my pet, what do I need to do?
15. I found a stray, what do I need to do?
16. What do I do if I know about animal cruelty, abuse, or neglect?
17. Why do I need to microchip my pet?
18. Does my pet need to wear his collar with identification tags, even if he never gets outside?
19. Does Fayetteville have a "leash law"?
20. How many animals am I allowed to own?
21. I don't have a fenced yard and my dog can't stay inside all day while I'm away. Can I chain him/her outside?
22. What is a trolley system?
23. What do I do if I have a nuisance wildlife problem?
24. What do I do if I have an animal in my own trap?
25. What can I do to keep animals out of my garden and my house?
26. What do I do if I see a snake?
27. What do I do if I see a bear?