Québec Animal Shelters & Lost Pet Services Directory
Animal services vary across Québec — depending on your city or municipality, lost and found pets may be handled by a local shelter, SPCA, municipal service, rescue, or contracted provider. Use this guide to find the organizations serving your area, understand who to contact, and improve your chances of locating a missing pet or reuniting a found animal with their family.
Written by the ResQPaw team
Updated July 14, 2026
Start with your municipality
Contact your city, borough, or municipality to confirm which animal service or shelter covers your area.
In Montréal, you can begin with 311. Elsewhere in Québec, check your municipality's website or contact local public services directly.
Animal shelters and services across Québec
- Local SPCAs and humane societies — many regions have independent organizations providing sheltering, adoption, and lost-and-found services.
- Municipal animal services — some cities operate their own services or contract with a private provider.
- Regional shelters and rescues — smaller communities may rely on nearby shelters, rescues, or intermunicipal services.
- Montréal-area providers — coverage may vary by borough, so residents should confirm the correct organization through 311 or the ResQPaw directory.
What to do when you contact a shelter
- File a lost (or found) report with them AND on ResQPaw — shelters' internal lists and community reports don't automatically talk to each other; ResQPaw's matching helps bridge that gap.
- Visit in person every few days if your pet is missing. Phone descriptions miss animals; your eyes won't.
- Ask about their holding period so you know how often you need to check.
- Leave a photo and your contact information, and keep your line reachable.
Check adoption pages, not just lost and found: holding periods are set by each municipality and can be short, so an unclaimed found animal may be listed for adoption quickly. ResQPaw's search covers shelter adoption listings too, so your report keeps working even after a listing changes status.
Vet clinics matter too
Finders often bring animals to the nearest vet for a free microchip scan rather than to a shelter. If your pet is missing, it's worth calling clinics within a couple of kilometres of the disappearance point.
Find the services covering your area
Search by city, borough, or municipality to find shelters, animal services, rescues, and lost-pet resources across Québec.
Frequently asked questions
Finding the right organization
Which shelter serves my area?
Coverage varies by municipality and may change over time. Start with your local government, then use the ResQPaw directory to find the organizations serving your area.
My pet disappeared near a municipal boundary. Who should I contact?
Contact the services covering both nearby municipalities. Lost pets may cross boundaries or be brought to a shelter outside the area where they disappeared.
Fees & policies
Are there fees to reclaim a lost pet?
Fees vary by municipality and organization. Charges may include boarding, licensing, identification, or veterinary care. Contact the shelter directly for current requirements.
How soon can a found pet become available for adoption?
Holding periods and procedures vary across Québec. Contact the organization immediately, check its listings regularly, and be prepared to provide proof of ownership.
Contact local services — and create a ResQPaw report
Reach the organizations serving your area while making your pet visible to people across Québec.
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