Help with Lost Pets

It will be the policy of Animal Control to help ensure the return of lost pets to their homes and families. To assist us in this goal, please ensure that your dog or cat has a license, microchip, tag (95% chance of return with a tag), or some other means to identify where the dog or cat belongs. If the pet does have a microchip, please register that chip with the organization from which it was purchased; otherwise, we will not be able to access the owner's information.

The East Brunswick Police Department urges residents to complete the Report a Lost Pet web form to alert East Brunswick Animal Control if a pet goes missing within the Township of East Brunswick. This will assist Animal Control in connecting you with your lost pet if they are located.

If your pet is returned to you, make sure to notify everyone you informed about your lost pet, including this office.

Recommended Tips

• Contact Animal Control - If your pet is not located, notify Animal Control by completing the Report a Lost Pet web form. Do not delay and wait days, hoping your pet will come home. The sooner you get the word out about your missing pet, the better the odds of finding it.
• Checking Your Home - First, check and make sure the animal is not hiding somewhere in your house, including your garage. This is particularly important in the case of new pets or cats that never go outside. Then check your yard, paying particular attention to areas under decks, porches, or outdoor structures.
• Use Facebook- Post a picture of your pet and a description on several different Facebook pages. Here are a few local examples:
  • Lost and Found Pets of South River and Vicinity New Jersey
  • Lost and Found Pets New Jersey
  • Lost and Found Pets New Jersey
  • Middlesex County New Jersey Lost and Found Pets
  • East Brunswick New Jersey Community
  • East Brunswick Helping Each Other
• Search Your Neighborhood - Search your neighborhood or the area where the animal was lost and let people know that it is missing. A lost pet will often hide during the day, so be sure to go out at night as well. Let your mail carrier know about your missing pet. They are in your neighborhood every day and pay attention to loose dogs.
• Contact Animal Shelters - Call local animal shelters. Someone may have found your pet and dropped it off there without going through the animal control officer.
• Lost Pet Posters - Make lost pet posters using a photo and offer a reward. Be sure to use a telephone number where you can be reached 24 hours a day. Put them up within a one-mile radius of where the pet was lost and leave a copy with local veterinarians and groomers. Someone might have taken it directly to a veterinarian if your pet was injured. There is also a public bulletin board at the dog park located at Heavenly Farms Park on Dunhams Corner Road. Also, public notice boards are often available for use by the public at local grocery stores. Lastly, a motorist not from this area may have picked up your pet. Lost pet posters placed at intersections are an excellent way to get the word out. Please be sure to write down the location of each flyer and remove them after your pet is located.
• Newspaper Ads - Place an ad in the Home News and Tribune and Sentinel newspapers under the lost pet section. Also, check these papers every day for a listing under the found pet section.
• Contact Public Access TV - Contact East Brunswick Township’s Public Access TV to have a lost pet announcement posted on EBTV. 
• Tags - Most importantly, even before your pet is lost, ensure all your pets wear a collar with ID tags. This is critical in the case of cats, even indoor cats. Your cat will not stand out from all the stray cats in your neighborhood without a tag. Without tags, there is little chance of your cat being returned to you if it wanders far from your yard. Also, consider having your pets implanted with a microchip. This is a permanent form of identification that can be read by most veterinarians, Animal Control Officers, and animal shelters. Inquire with your veterinarian for details.