KAYSVILLE—In 2022 lost pet numbers went up and hundreds of those found pets ended up at Animal Care of Davis County which is already near capacity. Surrounding shelters are in the same situation. 

A study published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science finds that 70% of lost dogs are found less than a mile from their homes and 42% are less than 400 feet. With all that information, Animal Care of Davis County started the Friendly Finders program. The program allows those who find an animal to keep the pet until its owner can be located.

“Myself and my deputy director went to a National Animal Welfare conference and heard about Friendly Finders and they were seeing great success,” said Ashleigh Young, director Animal Care of Davis County. “Most people when they find a pet they turn it over to us. According to Utah law animals brought to the shelter must be impounded within 72 hours. Keeping them in the (finder’s) home gives a nice neutral ground. It’s a great service to get them home.”

When a good Samaritan calls in an officer will go out to the location, she said. “They’ll take a cute mug shot and put it into our system. That makes them aware that a person has found the animal if someone is looking for their lost pet. We’ll do an intake of vaccines and a medical exam or any other concerns the finder has for the pet.”

The program was rolled out Oct. 17, said Young. “To date, we have had 19 cats and 28 dogs participate in this program and nearly all of them were reunited with their original families.”

In Utah, dogs and cats are considered personal property, she said. “If you don’t alert the authorities that you’ve found a pet it can be seen as theft.”

This program is in line with the community while meeting the requirements of the law, Young said. “It’s really a lot better for the animals.”

If the owner is not found after five business days the finder has a few options, she said. 

• The lost pet can be brought up to the shelter to find a new forever family.
• The finder can choose to continue to foster the pet, helping the animal shelter find a forever home for the pet and become an official member of the Foster Team.
• Or they can adopt the pet themselves and give them a home without the pet ever having to come up to the animal shelter.

The Foster Team is made up of volunteers who take care of a pet while Animal Care looks for a permanent home. 

“We provide all of the food and supplies,” said Young. “They see how the animal behaves in a home and meet with a potential adopter. We learn so much more about the animals so we can find great homes with that additional information.”

Anyone can foster, she said. “It can be people in apartments or with kiddos, or existing pets. We have lots of pets here so we can find one that fits with that individual’s lifestyle. Some pets have more special needs like no kids, other pets, etc.”

Animal Care of Davis County is a socially conscious animal shelter, said Young. “There is no time limit to keeping an animal. Sometimes if they have a chronic medical condition or there is a behavior issue like hurting other animals or people we will seek a rescue placement option.”

With the holidays approaching, a new pet might be on the Christmas list. “The ASPCA did a study five years ago that looked at animals as a gift,” Young said. “They found that they are just as much loved as when someone chooses to purchase a pet. The science backs it up. Of course we’d prefer they adopt a pet rather than going to a breeder but we understand that they’re not always going to find what they’re looking for at the shelter.”

Young believes the Friendly Finder program will benefit everyone. “We’re excited for the opportunity to engage with the community.”