Lost, Found, and Abandoned Pets

By Megan Gabel

The number of lost, found, and abandoned animals in San Miguel continues to increase. Rescuers are overwhelmed with animals they are temporarily trying to help with food, care, and shelter while working on finding them homes. There are many they cannot help because they lack the space to keep them. The problem is exacerbated by the fact that adoptions are slow all over. We can all chip in to help dogs and cats lead safer, more secure lives in San Miguel de Allende. Here’s how.

Important information: 

1. Emergency help: 911.
2. Canine Control Center: 415 154 7200 – located behind the Presidencia. A map here HERE.
3. Radio San Miguel: 415 152 0227 or 415 152 0799, Sollano 4.
4. Civil List San Miguel: https://groups.io/g/CivilSMA1 
5. Pet SOS San Miguel de Allende Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/745106518845566
6. The S.P.A.: Los Pinos 7, 415 152 6124.
7. Preventative steps: an identification tag greatly enhances the likelihood of reuniting pets with their owners.

If You Lose Your Pet:

1. Visit the Canine Control Center at least every other day. It is the city’s kill shelter. An animal picked up by the Canine Control Center may have only a few days to live, so act promptly. Many wonderful dogs are there on death row. Yours could be one of them. In recent months, the S.P.A. has rescued Sunshine, Annie, Sasha, Charlie, Bailey, and more from Canine Control. They possibly had owners who never came for them.
2. Contact Radio San Miguel. Describe your pet in detail and offer a reward.
3. Post photos and a bilingual description on a poster in the area where your pet was last seen, offering a reward for a safe return.  
4. Post details and photos on the Civil List, and Pet SOS.

Whenever someone reports a lost dog, we urge the person to visit Canine Control immediately and often. In April 2022, the S.P.A. took in a dog from Canine Control who was adopted from the S.P.A. a few months later. Recently, the original owner of the dog spotted this dog who was out with a dog walker. He immediately recognized the dog as his! The dog and her owner were reunited.

In response to our request, he came into the S.P.A. with the dog so we could verify that all was okay. We learned that the dog had been lost in January 2022 and probably picked up by Canine Control in April 2022, a few days before we rescued her. The owner reported the lost dog to us in January 2022. At our suggestion, the owner had gone to Canine Control in January and February, but didn’t find his dog. He stopped checking Canine Control then. 

Lesson learned:  keep checking Canine Control for your lost dog!

If You Find a Pet:

1. Approach any stray animal with caution, offering food and water. If the animal seems too frightened and aggressive, get help from a skilled professional or the Canine Control Center. For cats too timid or frightened to approach humans, consider borrowing one of the S.P.A.’s humane cat traps.
2. If the animal is not aggressive, take the animal to a vet as soon as possible. Our S.P.A. vet (and others) will examine the stray, determine health status, and start vaccinations and any other necessary treatment.
3. Post details and photos on the Civil List and Pet SOS.
4. Listen to Radio San Miguel to see if anyone has advertised about losing a pet of that description.
5. If no luck finding the owner, put the dog or cat on the appropriate S.P.A. waiting list. However, be aware that you are responsible for the animal you found and that the wait for space at the S.P.A. may be long. Try to find a home for the animal by posting details on various Facebook pages such as SMA Pet Rescue, Adopción y Rescate de Mascotas (https://www.facebook.com/groups/637247790773535/). Screen adopters carefully. Sterilize the animal before adoption. Please do not release the animal to fend for itself.

Please note that the S.P.A. is not equipped to help rescue a stray dog or cat, find a lost pet, or get involved with a situation involving animal abuse (call 911 to report). We wish we had the personnel and finances to help all needy animals!A map can be found on the S.P.A.’s website on this page: https://www.spasanmiguel.org/lost-found