Found animals are held at the shelter for five days in an effort to reunite them with their families. If your lost pet is at the shelter, please retrieve them as soon as possible to minimize impound fees and reduce stress for your pet. For pets who have been missing for more than five days, please also review Available Animals.
Please know that after the five-day stray hold period has elapsed, animals become the property of Foothills Animal Shelter and may no longer be available for reclaim.
Frequently check areas familiar to your pet (ie: near your home, etc.)If your pet is found by an Animal Control Officer in Arvada, Edgewater, Golden, Lakewood, Westminster, Wheat Ridge, or unincorporated Jefferson County and has a license tag, they will make every attempt to return the pet directly to you before bringing your pet to the Shelter. If your pet is not wearing a license tag, the officer will bring the pet to Foothills Animal Shelter.
If your pet is found by a community member, they might take it to a shelter or organization they are familiar with – not necessarily the closest location. Therefore, please check our Shelter even if you live outside of Jefferson County.
We are open daily from 10am – 5pm. To reclaim your pet, please visit the shelter–or send a trusted representative on your behalf–during business hours. If you think one of the animals in our care is your companion, please contact our team as soon as possible. We encourage you to visit the shelter in person, as you will best be able to identify your pet.
At Foothills Animal Shelter, protecting the health and well-being of every animal in our care is a top priority. Each year, more than 3,000 pets arrive at our shelter as strays, often with unknown vaccination histories. To help keep animals healthy while they are in our care, we vaccinate all stray dogs and cats upon arrival.
Proof of ownership will be requested at the time of reclaim. Valid proof of ownership includes, but is not limited to, adoption or purchase paperwork, pet photos, ID tags, or veterinary records.
Jefferson County residents may be required to purchase a county dog license with proof of valid rabies vaccination.
As Jefferson County’s open admission shelter, we accept every companion animal in need of shelter in the community. Reclaim fees help us cover costs we incur while housing and caring for these animals. Please contact our Shelter Services team if fees are a barrier to reunification with your pet.
An arrival fee of $65 is assessed for all species in addition to daily care fees.
Daily care fees:
Some found pets require immediate veterinary intervention to relieve pain and suffering while we work to reunite them with their owner. Additional fees may apply if your pet has received veterinary services while in the care of Foothills Animal Shelter or an emergency veterinary partner.
Our website is updated as animals arrive. If you see your pet listed on our Found Pets page, please contact our team immediately.
303.278.7575
View Found Pets Here