Lost and Found Program

Homeward Bound plays a vital role in re-uniting lost pets with their families.  We accept strays from Addison County (and beyond when space permits) and will immediately post them to our Facebook page.

The majority of towns in Addison County have Animal Control Officers (ACO) and you should also report Lost or Found Animals to your town's ACO. 2024 ACO list.xls

Lastly, we recommend that you post your lost pet to the Facebook page Lost and Found Animals of Vermont.

Return-to-Owner Process  PLEASE NOTE 2023 UPDATES TO OUR PROCESS

If your lost pet is at Homeward Bound, rest assured that he or she is safe and cared for!

To reclaim your pet we will ask that you

1. Provide proof of ownership (vet records in your name, a town license in your name, bill of sale, adoption contract etc)
2. Be prepared to pay the applicable fees***, and show proof that your pet is currently vaccinated against rabies.  PLEASE NOTE:  All stray animals brought into the shelter are rabies vaccinated ASAP after arrival for safety and to faciliate a speedy return if an owner is located.  If you can show proof of a current rabies vaccine for your pet, you will not be charged the $35 fee listed below.
3. If your dog is not currently licensed in the town in which you live, we will take a $100 deposit and you will have 5 business days to provide proof of current license and we will refund your deposit.

***Applicable Fees may include:

Rabies Vaccination                 $35

Town Charge:                         $25 / $35 (Middlebury & Weybridge)

HB Boarding Fee                     $ _____________ ($20 per day x _____ #days)

HB Impound Fee                     $30

Flea and Tick Preventive        $15

Micro-Chip Services

In an effort to help pet owners re-unite with their pets in the event they are lost, we encourage pet owners to maintain up-to-date tags on their pets and have their pets micro-chipped for easy identification.  Homeward Bound offers low-cost micro-chipping ($35) to the public.  A micro-chip is a small electronic chip (about the size of a piece of rice) that is inserted under the skin between a pet's shoulder blades which contains all of the owner's contact information.   Most veterinary offices and shelters have the ability to scan for this chip and quickly identify the owner.

To have your pet micro-chipped, call our Operations Manager at 802-388-1100 x102 or email Operationsmngr@homewardboundanimals.org to schedule an appointment. The entire process will take less than 5 minutes and is almost painless (definitely less painful than being lost and scared)!!