Have you lost your cat or dog? We know how terrible it is to lose a pet. Take a deep breath, and read through the steps below for immediate actions you can take to find your pet. Upload your pet’s information to our Lost & Found Database and file a lost report with the City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department. When filling out lost pet reports, be sure to include: Your pet’s name and what they are likely to answer to Photos Information about your pet’s appearance, age, sex, breed, microchip number, collar and tags (if applicable) Personality characteristics Details about the time, date and location in which your pet was lost Personalize this poster template with your pet’s information. Print out multiple copies and distribute them to your neighbors, post them in major intersections near the area where your pet went missing, in animal shelters, and in community centers. Look through our Lost & Found Database daily, and look at the profiles of pets at Animal Humane and the City of Albuquerque. If your pet was surrendered as a stray and is not microchipped, he or she may be listed on these websites. Post a free classified ad with Craigslist and the Albuquerque Journal.  When advertising to the public, provide a thorough description of your pet to allow for a positive identification in the event that someone finds him or her, but leave out one or two unique characteristics to avoid being the target of scams. Beware of anyone who claims to have found your pet and demands a monetary incentive for his or her return. Make regular visits to local shelters and look for your pet. While shelters do their best to reunite stray pets with their families, the large volume of animals in our care makes it crucial for pet owners to follow up.

If you’ve found a pet without an I.D. tag, here are some tips for reuniting the pet with its owner: Take pets to a veterinary clinic or animal shelter to have them scanned for a microchip. If a pet has a microchip implanted, the owners can often be contacted immediately and reunited with their pet that same day! If a pet is not microchipped, upload the pet’s information to our Lost & Found Database and report a found pet with the City of Albuquerque Animal Welfare Department. When completing found reports, include a photo of the pet, unique characteristics about the pet, as well as detailed information about when, where and how you found the pet. Personalize this flyer template with the found pet’s information and photo. Print and post copies in the location in which you found the pet, in animal shelters and in other high-traffic community locations. Craigslist and The Albuquerque Journal accept classified ads for lost and found pets. It is useful to check these regularly and post your own ad. Make sure that anyone who contacts you about the pet is able to provide proof of ownership, like a photo or veterinary records, before you release the animal to them. Without this requirement, you might be endangering the pet, since dog fighters use free and stray pets as bait for dogs they are training to fight.  If you are unable to find the pet’s owner and cannot temporarily care for him/her, Animal Humane accepts admissions of stray pets by appointment. Visit our Admissions page for details. Thank you for helping a lost pet!

Sometimes, individuals find it necessary to surrender their pets due to unexpected life changes or unforeseen circumstances. We understand that this is a difficult decision to make, and can help your pet find a new home. Animal Humane is an open admission facility, with the exception of pets that could be a public safety risk (e.g. aggressive, feral, those with a history of injuring humans or other animals). We take in more than 4,500 cats and dogs annually, and since 2010, we have found homes for 100% of the healthy and treatable pets in our care. Pet admissions are accepted by appointment only. To schedule a pet admission appointment, please call our Pet Admissions Center at 505.938.7861. Admissions Department Hours: Sunday - Friday, 10 am - noon and 1 - 4 pm Admissions are accepted at our Main Campus only: 615 Virginia St SE. Policies Dogs: The admissions process will take 30 - 45 minutes. Our trained and certified Adoptions Team performs a behavior assessment (SAFER® assessment) on every dog and puppy to determine their temperament. If the dog being surrendered fails our assessment, we will not be able to admit them into our care and will provide you with alternate suggestions. Cats: The admissions process will take 30 – 45 minutes. Please bring your cat in a carrier if possible, however, we do not accept surrenders of cats or kittens in traps. We do not admit feral cats or feral kittens. For information on our feral cat TNR program, click here. Fees: We are a private nonprofit organization that receives no city, state or federal funding. We rely on revenue we generate to care for more than 4,500 shelter pets annually. On average, the cost for a 21-day stay is $400 per pet. Admission Fees help us to offset these costs. To admit a pet into our care for re-homing, we require the following fees: $45 for the first pet; this includes both strays and owner surrenders $15 for each additional pet For litters of kittens/puppies: $40 for first pet and $5 for each additional pet

We understand that sometimes, pet guardians find themselves unable to continue providing care for their pet. When this difficult situation arises, the best thing you can do is try to re-home your pet so they won't have to enter a shelter. Entering any shelter environment is extremely stressful for pets and should be avoided if possible. Surrendering your pet to a shelter should be a last resort, not the first option. With dedication and effort, many people find success re-homing their pet on their own. Here are some tips on re-homing your pet: Post a profile of your pet to our Re-homing Community Connection. Be sure to include detailed descriptions and appealing photos to help your pet find a new home quickly.   Ask friends, family members, or other trusted individuals for support and explain the situation. They may be interested in adopting your pet, or able to temporarily foster him/her while you’re in the process of finding a permanent home. Do you have a certain friend or relative who has bonded strongly with your pet when they have visited your home? Contact them first! Begin searching for your pet’s new home within your networks: Your workplace, community association, religious organization, neighborhood, or any other group you are affiliated with; you can do this by advertising in an internal newsletter, sending out a mass email, or posting flyers with a description and photos of your pet. Use social media. Post your pet's photo and description to your Facebook page and local pages you like. Many people find success creating Facebook pages for their pets. Post a classified ad to be viewed by the general public, either online or in a printed publication. Popular options for Albuquerque residents include Craigslist and Albuquerque Journal. Do not list your pet for free. Pets who are listed as "free to a good home" are often endangered in our community, since dog fighters use free and stray pets as bait for dogs they are training to fight. Contact breed & rescue groups. There are numerous pet rescue groups working to help pets find new homes and keep them out of the shelter environment. View a list of rescue groups you can contact. Be sure to screen the family interested to ensure a safe, loving, permanent home for your pet. It is crucial to evaluate your pet’s individual needs and create a list of specific questions to ask interested parties. Most importantly, you will want to ensure that your pet will be treated humanely and provided with basic necessities. It is reasonable to request a brief home visit and rehoming fee to guarantee that your pet finds the right new home. People who are seriously seeking a long-term companion animal will likely welcome your efforts to ensure a great new home for your pet. Responsible pet owners will undoubtedly have many questions for you too, as they will be interested in obtaining detailed information about your pet’s behavior, temperament, and any medical concerns to determine whether or not they can commit to providing lifelong care for the animal.

Remember that bringing a pet into your home is a lifelong commitment, so you must be certain that your new pet will be accepted by your landlord or leasing agent. Looking for a house to rent? Search for available homes and apartments on Craigslist, Zillow, Trulia, HotPads or Abodo and you can filter results to include only rentals that allow pets! Looking for an apartment to rent? Click here to view a national directory of pet friendly rental properties, or browse the list below for apartment complexes in NM that welcome renters with cats and dogs. ABQ Uptown Village 2222 Uptown Loop Rd NE 866.554.1852 Small pets only Pet Deposit: $300 Pet Rent: $35 month Altezza High Desert 6000 Cortaderia St NE 505.821.2220 Max Pets: 2 (Some breed restrictions) Pet Rent: $45 per animal/month Pet Deposit: $300 No restrictions on therapy animals Broadstone Estates 8300 Wyoming Blvd NE 877.579.8559 Maximum Pet Weight: 40 lbs Pet Rent: $35 month Broadstone Heights 8100 Barstow St NE 505.798.0505 Maximum Pet Weight: 25 lbs Core Vistas at Seven Bar Ranch 10600 Cibola Loop NW 505.792.7227 Maximum Weight Limit: 25lbs Pet Fee: $100 Pet Deposit: $200 Pet Rent: $10 month Eagle Point Apartments 4401 Morris St NE 505.291.9290 No weight limit. Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Deposit: $200 Pet Rent: $15 month Eagle Ranch 9270 Eagle Ranch Rd NW 505.899.8020 Pet Fee: $150 Pet Deposit: $250 Pet Rent: $20 month Entrada Pointe 900 Country Club Dr SE 888.311.8952 Maximum Weight Limit: 20lbs Pet Deposit: $300 Pet Rent: $15 month Hunter's Ridge 13150 Wenonah Ave SE 505.298.3270 Maximum Weight Limit: 20 lbs Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Fee: $100 Pet Deposit: $150 Pet Rent: $20 month Indigo Park 7600 Montgomery Blvd NE  505.234.6371 Pets Accepted (Restrictions Apply) La Mirage 10700 Academy Rd NE 505.299.5051 Maximum Weight Limit: 20 lbs Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Fee: $150 Pet Deposit: $150 Pet Rent: $20 month Panorama Heights Apartments 13309 Mountain Rd NE 505.296.7555 Pets Welcome upon Approval No Weight Limit Breed Restrictions Riverwalk 3405 Calle Cuervo NW 505.898.7935 Maximum Weight Limit: 20lbs Maximum Pets: 2 Or (1) 40lb Pet Sage Canyon 6134 4th St NW 505.344.5466 Maximum Weight of Pets: 40lbs Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Fee: $150 Pet Deposit: Dog $150, Cat $75 Pet Rent: Dog $25 month, Cat $15 month Sedona Ridge Apartments 3400 Wyoming Blvd NE 505.298.5586 Large Pets Welcome Maximum Pets: 2 Tierra Antigua 5905 Tierra Antigua St NE 505.293.3471 Large Pets Welcome No Weight Limit Breed Restrictions Villa Hermosa Apartments 2600 Americare Ct NW 505.352.9594 Maximum Weight Limit: 20lbs Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Fee: $150 Pet Deposit: $300 Pavilions Luxury Apartments 11600 Academy Rd. NE 505.292.3000 Maximum Weight Limit: 50 lbs each Maximum Pets: 2 Pet Fee: $200 Pet Rent: $40 per month Pet Deposit: $300 Breed Restrictions Apply

Throughout our community local rescue groups comprised of passionate animal lovers work to help homeless pets through foster care, adoptions, advocacy and volunteerism. If you need to surrender your pet, you may try contacting the appropriate breed or rescue group for help. Breed & Rescue groups are essential partners in helping our community end pet homelessness. If you are looking for a specific breed that you are unable to find at Animal Humane, you may view a list of Breed Specific Rescues throughout our country. This list is provided by Animal Protection of New Mexico.

Animal Humane coordinates the distribution of 3,000 lbs. of donated pet food weekly through our completely volunteer-run Pet Food Bank. The food is shared with rescue groups statewide, pet owners who cannot afford to feed their cats or dogs and homebound senior citizens through the Albuquerque Department of Senior Affairs meal delivery program. The latter program ensures that seniors can provide nutritional meals to their companion pets at no additional cost to their food budget. This service provides emergency assistance to families experiencing hardship in order to ensure that fewer pets are surrendered. Our Pet Food Bank is located in the Quonset Hut at the north end of our Main Campus (615 Virginia St. SE). Hours: 10 am – noon Wednesday and Sunday Donations of dry and canned dog and cat food are always appreciated. These can be dropped off at our Main Campus.

505.938.7900 or BehaviorHelpline@AnimalHumaneNM.org Animal Humane’s Behavior Helpline is a free service available to all pet owners who are experiencing behavior concerns with their dogs or cats. Our trained Behavior Team provides recommendations on many common issues from housetraining to managing multiple pets in your home. Call our Behavior Helpline for dog and cat behavior issues concerning: Barking & Vocalization Chasing Destruction Digging Eating Disorders Elimination & Housetraining Escaping Fearful Behavior Introductions & Multiple Animal/Species Households Puppy & Kitten Development Separation Anxiety If you do not reach a Behavior Specialist by phone, please leave a message and your call will be returned within 72 hours. You may also email your questions to BehaviorHelpline@AnimalHumaneNM.org.