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Lost

Lost pet — how to find them fast

A fast, practical plan for finding a lost pet, plus the shelters and microchip registries to contact.

When a pet goes missing in Des Moines, speed and visibility are everything. Most lost pets are found close to home within the first day.

  1. Search the immediate area. Check nearby gardens, sheds, and quiet spots. Bring treats and a familiar item, and call calmly.
  2. Alert the microchip registry. Flag your pet as missing with the microchip database so your details are current if they're scanned.
  3. Call local shelters and vets. Phone shelters, pounds, and veterinary practices around Des Moines and ask them to note your pet's description.
  4. Post online and on lost-pet databases. Share clear photos in local community groups and lost-pet services.
  5. Put up visible notices. A simple poster with a photo, the area, and a contact number still works.
  6. Post a listing. Add a lost-pet listing for Des Moines so found-pet reports nearby surface alongside yours.

Helpful resources for Des Moines

Recent reports in Des Moines

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Lost Avians in Des Moines, need help finding them

I was packing up after a long day and stepped outside onto Grand Avenue around 6:15 p.m. on Tuesday, when I realized my Avians were gone from the window sill by my desk. Avians is the name I gave to a small collection of five ceramic bird figurines—the glaze runs from pale blue to moss green, each with a tiny wire tail. They’ve been a comfort since college, especially because one bird was a keepsake from my grandmother who lived here in Des Moines. I retraced every step: the Riverwalk along the Des Moines River, the East Village cafe on 3rd Street, and back to my apartment. Losing them hit hard, like losing a piece of home. If anyone found them, they belong on my shelf back where they belong.

Urgent
Window sill above my desk on Grand Ave, near the Des Moines River. 8 days ago
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Lost hamsters in downtown Des Moines

I lost my hamsters tonight and I’m really anxious to get them back. I last saw them around 7:15 p.m. near the Pappajohn Sculpture Park by the riverfront, just behind the Des Moines Civic Center. They’re tiny, about the size of ping-pong balls, one with a light brown coat and the other with a gray belly. I’ve searched the nearby paths, the bookstore alley, and the dog park, but I can’t shake the feeling they vanished into the evening air. If someone finds a squeaky rustle of tiny feet, please help them get home to me.

Urgent
near the Pappajohn Sculpture Park 12 days ago
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Grey tabby with white chest, lost near East Village

I lost my grey tabby Milo yesterday around 3pm. He's a medium-sized domestic shorthair with a grey striped coat and a white patch on his chest. He wears a light blue collar with a tiny silver bell, and there's a small notch in his left ear that makes him easy to identify. He tends to be skittish around strangers but he's incredibly affectionate once he warms up, which is why I'm really worried. I last saw him near the East Village coffee shop on 5th Street and Grand Avenue in Des Moines; he bolted when I opened the door to grab the mail. If you spot him, please text or call me—we're really hoping to bring him home tonight.

Des Moines about 2 months ago
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Beagle mix with blue bandana, downtown Des Moines

I lost my dog Scout, a 2-year-old beagle mix, yesterday around 3pm near the East Village, by Court Avenue and the Savory Market. He's about 25 pounds, mostly tan with a white chest and a black muzzle, and he wears a bright blue bandana and a red collar with a small ID tag. He has a slight limp on his right hind leg and a tiny white star-shaped mark on his left ear; he tends to wag at strangers but may bolt if startled. It's really important to me—Scout is my loyal companion and I'm worried sick. If anyone finds him, give me a call and I can meet you anywhere around downtown Des Moines.

Des Moines 4 months ago