Found a Pet in Québec? What to Do Next

Approach a Found Pet Safely

Approach slowly and give the animal space. Avoid chasing, cornering, or reaching toward a frightened pet.

If the animal appears aggressive, injured, severely distressed, or unsafe to approach, contact your municipality, local animal service, shelter, or veterinary clinic for guidance. Do not handle an injured or unknown animal with bare hands.

Many municipalities have a designated animal service for injured or at-risk strays — in Montréal, for example, you can contact the city or its designated service. Check the service covering your area for how to report an animal that needs help.

Check the Pet for Identification

• Look for a collar tag, licence tag, phone number, or address.
• Contact the owner directly when clear contact information is available.
• Bring the animal to a veterinary clinic, shelter, or animal service for a microchip scan — it is usually free and takes a couple of minutes, and it works even for chips registered years ago.
• Photograph any identification before handing the pet to another organization.
• Avoid sharing every identifying detail publicly; keep one feature private to help verify ownership.

Report a Found Pet in Québec

• Create a found-pet report on ResQPaw with clear photos, the location, date, and identifying details. Our matching automatically compares it against lost-pet reports in the area.
• Contact the municipality, shelter, or animal service responsible for the area where the pet was found.
• Share the ResQPaw report with nearby residents and relevant community groups.
• Continue checking lost-pet reports and update your report if the animal's location or status changes.

Is the Cat Lost or Allowed Outdoors?

A healthy, confident cat sitting near a home may be an outdoor pet. A cat may need help if they appear frightened, disoriented, injured, underweight, unusually vocal, or remain in the same place for an extended period.

Before moving the cat:

• Ask nearby residents whether they recognize them.
• Check for a collar or visible identification.
• Take a clear photo and note the exact location.
• Create a found-pet report if the cat appears lost or vulnerable.
• Arrange a microchip scan when appropriate.

Can You Keep a Found Pet in Québec?

Do not assume ownership immediately. Make reasonable efforts to locate the family by checking identification, reporting the pet, contacting local animal services, and reviewing lost-pet reports.

If no family is found, ask the responsible shelter or municipality about the next steps, including temporary care, fostering, or adoption. Procedures differ by location.

Confirm Ownership Before a Reunion

Before returning the pet, ask the claimant for information that was not shared publicly, such as:

• Distinctive markings
• Sex and approximate age
• Collar or tag details
• Veterinary or adoption records
• Recent photos
• The pet's microchip or licence information

Spotting Animal Abuse or Neglect

Sometimes the animal you're worried about isn't a lost pet — it's one being neglected or mistreated. It helps to know the signs and who to contact.

• Left outside without adequate shelter, food, or water in extreme heat or cold.
• Visibly emaciated, or with untreated wounds, illness, or severe matting.
• A collar grown painfully tight or embedded in the skin.
• Kept in filthy, unsafe, or dangerously confined conditions.
• Being struck, thrown, or otherwise deliberately harmed.