Lost or Found a Pet? Start Here.
Most lost pets are found less than a mile from home, and the first few hours matter most. Paws Humane Society uses Petco Love Lost, a free national database that uses photo matching to reunite lost pets with their families. File your report there first, then follow the steps below.
What to do if your pet is missing
Paws Humane Society provides animal services for Columbus, Georgia. If your pet is picked up as a stray in Columbus, it will most likely come to the Paws Animal Services Division at 4910 Milgen Road.
Stray hold: stray animals are held for 5 days so owners have time to reclaim them. After the hold period, unclaimed animals may be evaluated for adoption. Do not wait to start looking.
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File a lost pet report with Petco Love Lost
Fill out a detailed report, including whether your pet is microchipped or wearing ID tags. Attach a clear, recent photo. Petco Love Lost compares your report against found pets and shelter intakes and alerts you when there is a possible match. It is free to use.
File a Lost Pet Report -
Share on social media
Post a clear photo, the location, and the date your pet went missing in the Muscogee County Lost/Found Pets Facebook group and in neighborhood apps such as Nextdoor. Your pet is probably close to where it went missing, so the community is one of the fastest ways home.
Post in the Facebook Group -
Check the animals in our care
The list below shows stray animals currently at Paws Animal Services and updates as animals arrive and leave. Check it several times a day. Photos are taken at intake, and a scared or dirty pet may not look like the pet you know, so look closely at every listing.
View Animals in Our Care -
Visit the shelter in person
Do not rely on the website alone. Come to the Paws Animal Services Division during business hours and walk through the stray kennels. Our staff can also check intake records for animals brought in injured or deceased.
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Reclaiming your pet
- You must come to the shelter in person to claim your pet.
- Bring a valid photo ID and proof of ownership, such as photos, vet records, registration papers, or microchip information.
- Unable to come to the shelter? Call (706) 225-4512 to talk through your options for reclaiming your pet.
Paws Animal Services Division
4910 Milgen Road, Columbus, GA 31907
Phone: (706) 225-4512
Business Hours
What to do if you found a pet
Found an animal and not sure what to do? Please do not assume it was abandoned or mistreated. Pets that have been missing for a while often look scared or neglected. Most lost pets are found less than a mile from home, and a few simple steps can get this one back to its family quickly.
Can you see the animal but cannot catch it? Use our Report a Stray page for guidance on approaching, containing, and reporting an animal on the loose.
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Keep the pet safe and file a found pet report
Submit a found report with a photo through Petco Love Lost. Its photo matching can connect you with an owner who has already filed a lost report. If you can keep the pet safely at home while you search, that is often the fastest route home and it keeps a kennel open for an animal with nowhere else to go.
File a Found Pet Report -
Check for ID tags or a microchip
Look for a collar tag with a name, phone number, or address. If there is a rabies or registration tag number, call us at (706) 225-4512 and we will help trace it. Any veterinary clinic, participating fire station, or Paws Humane can scan the pet for a microchip at no charge.
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Share on social media
Share a photo in the Muscogee County Lost/Found Pets Facebook group and in neighborhood apps such as Nextdoor. Include where and when you found the pet. The owner is likely nearby and may already be searching.
Post in the Facebook Group -
Search lost pet reports
Look through lost reports on Petco Love Lost for the area where you found the pet. If you see a possible match, open the listing for the owner's contact details.
Search on Petco Love Lost -
Bring the pet to Paws Animal Services
If you cannot keep the pet or the steps above have not turned up an owner, bring it to the Paws Animal Services Division at 4910 Milgen Road during business hours, or call (706) 225-4512 for guidance. We hold found animals through the 5-day stray period so owners can reclaim them. If no one comes forward, the animal is evaluated for our adoption program.
Paws Animal Services Division
4910 Milgen Road, Columbus, GA 31907
Phone: (706) 225-4512
Business Hours
Animals in Our Care
Stray animals currently at the Paws Animal Services Division. The list updates as animals arrive and leave. Click a photo for details. If you think one of them is yours, come to 4910 Milgen Road during business hours or call (706) 225-4512.
Frequently Asked Questions
Petco Love Lost is a free national lost and found pet database that Paws Humane Society uses to help reunite pets with their families. It uses photo matching to compare lost reports with found reports and shelter intakes, and it alerts you when there is a possible match. Anyone can use it at no cost.
As much as you can. Many similar-looking pets are lost at any given time, so specific markings, coloring, size, collar, microchip status, and habits all help. Use a clear, recent photo, and add where and when your pet was last seen.
We hold stray animals for 5 days to give owners time to reclaim their pets. After the hold period, unclaimed animals may become available for adoption.
Please bring a valid photo ID and proof of ownership, such as photos, vet records, registration papers, or microchip information. Our staff will walk you through the rest when you arrive.
Call us at (706) 225-4512 and we will talk through your options for reclaiming your pet. We may ask some questions to confirm ownership.
If you can temporarily care for the found pet, file a found report on Petco Love Lost, post in local lost and found groups right away, and have the pet scanned for a microchip at any vet clinic, participating fire station, or Paws Humane. You can also contact us for guidance. Many pets are reunited faster when finders can hold them while searching for the owner.
Our online stray animals list is updated in real time as animals enter and leave our facility. However, we always recommend visiting in person as well, as online photos may not fully capture your pet's appearance, especially if they're stressed or dirty.
The Paws Animal Services Division at 4910 Milgen Road is open Monday to Thursday 10:00 AM to 7:00 PM, Friday and Saturday 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM, and Sunday 1:00 PM to 5:00 PM. You can reach the division at (706) 225-4512.
Gates swing open, dogs slip out of doors, and cats get curious. It can happen to anyone. The best protection is a microchip and a collar tag with a current phone number, and keeping the contact information on both up to date. Registering your pet with the city and keeping a recent photo of each pet also make a reunion much faster.