My pet is lost. What should I do?

Act quickly: mark your pet as missing with Central Animal Records, check your contact details are current, and let local councils, shelters and vets know. Vets, councils and animal welfare organisations across Australia scan stray animals for a microchip, and if your details are up to date, they can contact you straight away.

Step 1: Mark your pet as missing

Log in to your account.
Go to My Animals, click View/Edit, then Edit.
Choose Report Missing/Stolen, then select Missing or Alleged stolen.

Can't log in? Email info@car.com.au or call 03 9706 3187 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm) and we'll mark your pet as missing for you. Outside office hours, use the online steps above.

Step 2: List your pet on the Lost Pet HUB

When you mark your pet as missing, you can also add them to our free public Lost Pet HUB, where people can report sightings to you.

Free listings stay up for 14 days.
CARMA Rewards Club members' listings have no expiry and can include a photo and a reward.

Step 3: Check your contact details

Make sure your mobile number, address and email are current under My Profile. If your pet is found and scanned, this is how we reach you. See Moved house? How to update your pet's microchip details.

Step 4: Contact councils, shelters and vets

Your local council, and neighbouring councils too, as pets often wander across boundaries.
Animal shelters and welfare organisations in your area, and further afield. Pets can travel a long way or be picked up and taken out of the area.
Local vets and after-hours emergency vets.

Give each one your name, contact details, your pet's microchip number and a detailed description.

Step 5: Keep looking

Visit your local pound and shelters in person, and keep going back regularly.
Tell your neighbours, and share your pet's details on local lost-pet groups.

When your pet is home

Log in, go to My Animals > View/Edit > Edit, choose Alive and click Update. This removes the missing flag so vets and councils see your pet's correct status.