Lost dog or cat in Mexico: what to do

The first hours

1. 1. Search your home first. Check closets, under furniture, rooftops and service rooms: cats tend to hide close by and stay silent.
2. 2. Walk the area. Walk nearby streets at dawn and dusk, when it's quieter, with its food or favorite toy. Call it calmly.
3. 3. Tell your block. Ask neighbors, doormen (porteros) and shops to check patios, garages and storage rooms, and to call you if they see it.
4. 4. Have a photo ready. Pick a recent, clear, full-body photo: you'll use it on the poster and in every notice.

Where to post

• Posters on poles, shops and vet clinics in the area where it got lost.
• Your neighborhood (colonia) groups on social media and neighbors' WhatsApp chats.
• Nearby vets, groomers and shelters: people often take an animal they found there.
• Your city's official channels (below).

A «Se busca» poster in Spanish

• SE BUSCA (wanted), in large letters at the top.
• A large, recent, full-body photo.
• «Se llama [name]. [Perro or gato], [breed or mestizo for mixed], [color], [chico, mediano or grande].»
• «Señas: [collar, spots, scars]. Tiene microchip: [sí or no].» (Distinctive marks; has a microchip.)
• «Se perdió el [date] cerca de [street and colonia].» (Lost on … near …)
• «Si lo ves, no lo persigas. Llámame o mándame WhatsApp: [phone].» (If you see it, don't chase it. Call or WhatsApp me.)

Write it in Spanish so neighbors can read it. Print it letter size, in large high-contrast letters, with your phone on tear-off strips. Don't include your home address.

If your cat is lost

• Search very close: in a study of lost cats, half of the indoor-only ones were found within 40 meters (about 130 feet), almost always hiding.
• Check under cars, in garages, on rooftops, in service rooms and among plants, with a flashlight.
• Search at night, when it's quiet: call softly and shake its food bag.
• Ask neighbors to check their storage rooms and garages: a scared cat doesn't meow.
• If it has a microchip, make sure your details are current: that's what lets a vet or shelter find you.

In Mexico City: who to contact

Checked in October 2026. Confirm before you go: hours and requirements may change. Staff usually speak Spanish only.

• Animal Care Agency (AGATAN): «Ayúdame a regresar a casa»

  Posts free notices of lost pets and animals found on the street. Send an email with its name, where it was lost or last seen, sex, age, distinctive marks, a good photo, and your phone and email.

  • See the notices
  • [email protected]

• Borough animal care areas

  If someone picked up your pet on the street, it may be at the borough's animal care area. AGATAN publishes the list of areas by borough.

  • See the areas by borough

• Metro Canine Transfer Center

  Takes in dogs rescued in Metro facilities. It's at Av. de las Culturas s/n, El Rosario, Azcapotzalco. Write before you go.

  • [email protected]

• Pet registry (RUAC)

  Free, mandatory registry for dogs and cats in Mexico City. Its number helps prove your pet is yours if it's found.

  • Register in the RUAC

In Guadalajara and Monterrey: who to contact

Checked on October 13, 2026. Call before you go: hours and requirements may change.

• Guadalajara: Animal Protection Office

  If someone picked up your pet on the street, it may be at its facilities on Calz. Jesús González Gallo s/n (Río Zapotlán street), El Rosario. Call 33 3330 9866 and also post the notice on its Facebook page.

  • 33 3330 9866
  • Protección Animal Guadalajara

• Monterrey: Animal Welfare Center

  Keeps dogs and cats rescued on the street at its Parque España center, Monday to Friday. Ask there for your pet and report animals on the street at 072 or on WhatsApp at 81 4000 0072.

  • 072
  • WhatsApp 81 4000 0072

How to prove it's yours

• Your RUAC number (in Mexico City).
• Its vaccine record or adoption or purchase documents.
• Photos of you with your pet and its microchip number, if it has one.

Watch out for scams

• Don't pay anything before you see your pet in person.
• Ask for a current photo or video that proves they have it.
• Meet in a public place and bring someone with you.
• Be wary of anyone asking for a deposit «for transport» or «for the vet».

So it doesn't happen again

• A tag on its collar with your Mexican phone number (or WhatsApp).
• A microchip with current details: it only works if the registration is up to date.
• Its RUAC registration, if you live in Mexico City.
• Recent photos on your phone, front and full body.
• Check doors, windows and gates, especially with cats and on days with fireworks or parties.

Frequently asked questions

Where do I report a lost pet in Mexico City?

To the Animal Care Agency (AGATAN): email [email protected] with its details and a photo, and they post it for free on «Ayúdame a regresar a casa». Also check your borough's animal care area.

Where do I look for my lost dog in Guadalajara or Monterrey?

In Guadalajara, call the Animal Protection Office (33 3330 9866). In Monterrey, ask at the Animal Welfare Center in Parque España or call 072. Also post the notice with a photo in your neighborhood groups.

Should the poster be in English or Spanish?

In Spanish: the people most likely to see your pet are your neighbors. Use the template in this guide and add your phone number with WhatsApp.

Where do I look for a lost cat?

Very close to home: indoor cats usually hide a few meters away, under cars, in garages or on rooftops. Search at night, with a flashlight and quietly.

What do I do if someone asks for money to return it?

Don't pay before you see it in person. Ask for a current photo or video, meet in a public place with someone, and be wary of upfront deposits.

Related guides

• I found a dog on the street in Mexico City. What do I do?What to do if you find a lost or abandoned dog in Mexico City: help it safely, look for its family and who to contact.
• How to adopt a dog or a cat in Mexico CityWhere to adopt a dog or cat in Mexico City, the usual requirements and how to take an adopted dog to the US.
• Dog parks in Mexico City: where to walk and let your dog off leashFenced off-leash dog areas in Mexico City, parks for leashed walks and their rules.

Wagori: everything for your pet, in one app

Keep its vaccine record, find vets and trusted services, and see events near you. It's free. The app is in Spanish for now.

Sources

Official information from:

• AGATAN: Ayúdame a regresar a casa (in Spanish)
• AGATAN: borough animal care areas (in Spanish)
• N+: Metro Canine Transfer Center (in Spanish)
• Eje Central: Guadalajara Animal Protection (2026, in Spanish)
• Círculo Rojo: Monterrey Animal Welfare, 072 and WhatsApp (in Spanish)
• Huang et al. (2018), Animals: where lost cats are found