Lost & found animals

We operate a lost and found service to help reunite pets with their owners.

On this page you will find information on:

• You've found a lost animal
• Find your lost pet
• Council pounds
• Cancel your search
• Protect your pets

You've found a lost animal

Firstly, contain the animal safely.

Healthy animals

It is an offence to keep a found animal.

Call us on 07 5667 5990 to report the animal – after business hours, you can choose to enter '1' to be diverted to our After-hours Emergency Service.

We can contact the owner of a dog if it's registered with Council and wearing its registration tag.

If we're unable to contact the owner, we can collect the animal or you can take the pet to the nearest pound.

Pickups can only be arranged during business hours and take approximately two hours.

Sick or injured animals

• Call the RSPCA on 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625), or
• take the animal to a vet.

Deceased animals

To report a dead animal in Council parks, along footpaths or roads:

• email Council's Waste Management unit: wastemanagement@goldcoast.qld.gov.au, or
• call 07 5667 5976 – after business hours, this number will offer an option to enter '1' to be diverted to our After-hours Emergency Service number.

To report dead animals on major roads (motorways and highways), contact Department of Transport and Main Roads on 13 19 40.

Welfare concerns

If you have concerns about the welfare of an animal or suspected animal cruelty, report it by:

• calling 1300 ANIMAL (1300 264 625), or
• by completing an online form on the RSPCA website.

Find your lost pet

• Search for your lost pet with our online lost and found animals register.
• If you can't find your pet on our online register, contact the Council pound:
  • call 07 5581 7600 (Monday to Saturday, 8am to 4.30pm)
  • we'll search our register to see if your animal has been found.
• Report your lost pet using the online form available on our Report a problem – Animals page.

Other ways to search for your lost animal

• Contact the RSPCA or the Animal Welfare League of Queensland.
• Contact your neighbours and other councils.
• Contact your local vet – your pet may have been taken there for safe keeping.
• Post a message on social media – Facebook has pages dedicated to helping Gold Coast animal owners reunite with their lost pets.
• Place an advertisement in your local newspaper.

Council pounds

Council pounds hold animals only for a certain number of days before being transferred to the Animal Welfare League.

Animals that have been registered, microchipped and identified will be held at a Council pound for 5 working days after we contact the owner.

Unidentified animals are held for a period of 3 working days.

When you come to the pound to collect your pet, you will need to:

• show identification – if you are picking the animal up on behalf of its owner, you will need a letter of authority (or verify with the owner over the phone) before the animal can be released
• pay a release fee – additional fees may be charged to cover some of the costs associated with rescuing, caring for and reuniting you with your animal. They include:
  • cost recovery fee
  • sustenance fee – see Register of fees & charges (Animal Management section) for current charges; fees vary depending upon the type of animal/livestock.
• register your dog (if it's not already registered)
• microchip your dog or cat (if it's not already chipped).

Cancel your search!

If your reported animal has been found, don't forget to contact us on 07 5581 7600 to remove your animal's details from the register.

Protect your pet

Make sure your pet is identifiable and is microchipped. If you own a dog, wearing a collar with a name tag and current registration tag will make it much easier for us to locate and safely return your pet.

Remember to keep your details up to date with council and your microchip company that holds your pet's information.

Dog registration change of details

Update your dog registration details; that is, any change of address and/or contact details, microchip number, cancel registration.

Submit online form

Dog registration – change of details(PDF, 196KB)