CMPD Animal Care & Control picks up and receives stray or lost animals found by members of the community. If an animal comes to the shelter with identification such as a rabies tag, microchip or tattoo, Animal Care & Control officers will make every effort to locate the owner.

If you have lost your pet, we strongly suggest that you come to the shelter and look through the animals in our kennels. After all, you know your pet best. Animal Care & Control hold animals for three days only, so you need to come to the shelter as soon as possible. There are certain areas of the shelter that are not open to the public, but there is a kiosk in the lobby where you can view all animals housed in restricted areas. Also, it is recommended that you visit the shelter every three days.

The towns of Cornelius, Davidson, Huntersville and Matthews have their own Animal Control officers. If you live in one of these towns, you should also check with your local police department.

If you find a stray animal, you can either turn the animal in to Animal Care & Control or file a found report. You must do one or the other, otherwise an owner can never find his/her animal.  The found reports are kept in the lobby for owners to peruse and determine if someone might have their pets. If you choose to try to find the owner yourself, please remember to check classified ads in newspapers and on local bulletin boards.