Lost Pet Resources in Miami, FL

Local Animal Shelters & Control Agencies in Miami

• Miami-Dade Animal Services (MDAS) — 7401 NW 74th St, Medley. miamidade.gov/economy/animals. The primary Miami-Dade shelter. Searchable online database updated daily.
• Humane Society of Greater Miami — 16101 W Dixie Hwy, North Miami Beach. humanesocietymiami.org.
• City of Miami Animal Services — 1700 NW 17th Ave. For pets lost within city limits.
• Broward County Animal Care — 2400 SW 42nd St, Fort Lauderdale. For pets lost in Broward County.
• Friends of Miami Animals — fomamiami.org. Rescue network partnering with MDAS.

Critical tip: Call AND visit in person. Shelter databases are updated irregularly. Walk the kennels yourself. Know your local stray hold period (typically 3–5 business days) and visit before it expires.

Local Facebook Lost Pet Groups

• "Miami Lost and Found Pets" — primary group
• "Lost Dogs of South Florida"
• "Lost Pets Miami Dade"
• "Broward Lost and Found Pets"
• "South Miami/Coral Gables Lost Pets"
• "Hialeah/Miami Lakes Lost Pets"

Search these group names on Facebook and join before posting. Also post on your local Nextdoor and tag adjacent neighborhoods.

Miami-Specific Tips

• Miami-Dade Animal Services online database is at miamidade.gov/economy/animals/pet-search.asp — check multiple times daily AND visit in person.
• Florida stray hold period: minimum 5 days. Miami-Dade is large — your pet could end up at the main MDAS shelter in Medley regardless of where in the county they were found.
• Miami's canal and waterway system (C-4, C-8 canals, etc.) are travel corridors for lost dogs. Check all canal banks and levee roads in your search area.
• Miami heat and humidity June–September is dangerous for brachycephalic breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Bulldogs) especially quickly. Add breed-specific urgency to those alerts.
• Miami has a large Spanish-speaking population — post bilingual flyers (Spanish and English) across Little Havana, Hialeah, Westchester, and Doral for maximum community reach.
• Many South Florida good samaritans take found pets to PetSmart or Petco stores for microchip scanning before going to the shelter. Call both stores near the last-known location.

General Steps for Any Lost Pet in Miami

1. Post a free alert at afinderly.com/find/lost-found
2. Call every shelter listed above and file a lost report in person
3. Post on every local Facebook lost pet group and Nextdoor
4. Post physical flyers at every gas station, grocery store, vet, and dog park within 2 miles
5. Set a humane trap if your pet has been missing more than 24 hours
6. Search at dawn and dusk when lost pets are most active

Related Guides