Lost and Found Pets

Click HERE to look at ALL STRAY ANIMALS in our care…

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MADACC, Friends of MADACC and Lost Dogs of Wisconsin are teaming up to help increase the odds of getting your pet back home safely, and if possible, without a trip to MADACC! Learn more about programs available to Milwaukee County Pet Owners by clicking here!

Lost a Pet? Here’s What to Do

1. – Call MADACC Immediately 414-649-8640 Let us know your pet is missing so we can take your information and begin helping you reunite with your animal.
2. – Create a Lost Pet Report
3. – Share your listing on all available social media for your municipality and neighborhood as well as Lost Dogs of Wisconsin or Lost Cats of Wisconsin
   

Why This Is Important:

• – MADACC is the only organization that handles stray animals in Milwaukee County. We are the official stray hold facility for all Milwaukee County municipalities.
• – The Wisconsin Humane Society (WHS) does not accept or hold stray animals from Milwaukee County. If a stray is brought there, it will be transferred to MADACC.
• – WHS lost reports are not shared with MADACC. If you report your pet missing to WHS only, and your animal comes to MADACC, we will have no way to contact you.

Border Communities:

If you live near a border with another county:

• – Call the animal control facility that handles strays for that county and file a report there.
• – Still call MADACC and file a report with us too.

How to Reclaim Your Lost Pet from MADACC

If you believe your pet may be at MADACC, you must visit in person to confirm. Pet descriptions are subjective, and only you can truly identify your animal.

Visit MADACC in Person

Location:
MADACC Shelter
3839 W. Burnham St., West Milwaukee, WI 53215

Lost Pet Viewing Hours:

• – Monday–Friday: 10:00 a.m. – 6:45 p.m.
• – Saturday & Sunday: 10:00 a.m. – 4:45 p.m.

Check every 48 hours—or more frequently—while your pet is missing.
With nearly 12,000 animals coming through MADACC each year, visual identification is critical.

Why In-Person Checks Are Important

• – A “black cat” or “German Shepherd mix” means something different to everyone.
• – MADACC staff may not notice subtle details (scars, personality traits, patterns) that only you would recognize.
• – Our dispatchers and front desk staff cannot confirm if your pet is here based on a phone description.

To prevent misidentification, it is your responsibility to come in and look for your lost pet in person.

Common Issues That Delay Reunions

• – Moved or changed addresses?
• – Gave your pet away but it’s still registered to you?
• – Your pet is wearing a tag or microchip registered to someone else?

Keep your contact info up-to-date on ID tags and microchips to ensure a swift reunion!

What You Need to Reclaim Your Pet

To reclaim an animal from MADACC, the following are required by law:

1. – Proof of Ownership
   • Examples include vet records, microchip registration, adoption paperwork, or clear photos.
2. – Valid Government-Issued ID
3. – Proof of Current License and Rabies Vaccination
   • If missing, prepayment for licensing and vaccination will be accepted at time of reclaim.
4. – Payment of All Fees
   • This includes custody, care, vaccination, and any municipal fees.

Payment Methods Accepted:

• – Cash
• – Debit cards
• – Visa, MasterCard, Discover
  – No checks are accepted
• – Payment plans are NOT available.

Reclaim Fees Overview

To reclaim your pet, the following fees may apply:

Impound Fee

• $30 – for animals with a valid license
• $40 – for unlicensed animals

Leash/Carrier Fee

All animals must leave MADACC safely secured:

• Dogs must be leashed
• Cats must be in a secure carrier

If needed:

• Leashes available for purchase
• Cardboard carrier available for cats – $5 each

Rabies Vaccine Fee

If your animal is not current on their rabies vaccine:

• $30 for a rabies vaccine (required at reclaim unless proof of vaccination is provided). Wisconsin State Statute requires that only licensed veterinarians administer rabies vaccines here.

License Fees

All dogs and cats over 5 months of age must be licensed. If your pet is not currently licensed, you will be charged at reclaim:

Dog and Cat License Fees

Born After July 1 (5+ months old)

Boarding Fees

$25/day – general boarding

$30/day – if your pet requires medical care while in our custody

Municipal Ordinance Fees

Each municipality in Milwaukee County charges a fee for pets found at large.
These are separate from MADACC fees and are collected on behalf of your municipality.

• Brown Deer: $25.00 (See Brown Deer Municipal Code)

• Cudahy: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (See Cudahy Municipal Code)

• Fox Point: $25.00 (See Fox Point Municipal Code)

• Franklin: $3.00 (See Franklin Municipal Code)

• Glendale: $15.00 (See Glendale Municipal Code)

• Greendale: $25.00 (See Greendale Municipal Code)

• Greenfield: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (See Greenfield Municipal Code)

• Hales Corners: $50.00 (code not available online)

• Milwaukee: $60.00 (See City of Milwaukee Ordinances)

• Oak Creek: $15.00 (See Oak Creek Municipal Code)

• River Hills: $25.00/$50.00 (code not available online)

• St. Francis: $3.00 (See St. Francis Municipal Code)

• Shorewood: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (Shorewood Pet Licensing Information)

• South Milwaukee: $25.00 (See South Milwaukee Municipal Code)

• Wauwatosa: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (See Wauwatosa Municipal Code)

• West Allis: $25.00 (See West Allis Municipal Code)

• West Milwaukee: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (See West Milwaukee Municipal Code)

• Whitefish Bay: $25.00/$50.00 for second offense (See Whitefish Bay Village Ordinance)

MADACC is here to help reunite you with your pet as quickly and compassionately as possible.
Please don’t delay—come in and check as often as you can.

For questions: Call MADACC at (414) 649-8640

I Have Found an Animal

Per Wisconsin State Statute 173.13(9)(c):

A person other than a humane officer or law enforcement officer may not take custody of an animal on behalf of a political subdivision unless it is an abandoned or stray animal.
Any such person must immediately deliver the animal to:

• – The facility contracted under s. 173.15(1)
• – A humane officer or law enforcement officer,
• – Or the municipal pound (in Milwaukee County, that’s MADACC),

You Cannot Legally Hold a Stray Animal at Home or in a Shelter/Rescue Facility

In Milwaukee County, only MADACC is legally authorized to perform a stray hold. That means:

• – Good Samaritans, rescues, or shelters cannot keep a stray animal for the hold period,
• – Law enforcement, MADACC staff, or anyone else CANNOT give permission to violate this law.
• – The law exists to protect pet owners’ rights and ensure a fair chance of reunion.

Why This Matters

Many people who find a stray assume the owner doesn’t care — but often, that owner is desperately searching. If a finder holds an animal at home or only posts a picture online, the owner may never know where to look.

Bringing the animal to MADACC ensures:

• Immediate scanning for microchips and ID tags
• Centralized lost & found reporting
• Legal compliance
• Fair access for the owner to reclaim their pet

Want to Adopt the Animal You Found?

We understand that you may fall in love with the pet you found. Here’s how to legally adopt if the animal goes unclaimed:

1. Bring the animal to MADACC to start the legal stray hold.
2. Fill out an adoption application at the time of drop-off or immediately afterward.
3. If no owner claims the animal after the 5-day hold, you’ll be considered first for adoption.

**If you do not submit an application, and a rescue or another adopter applies, MADACC will proceed with that placement. We will not reverse an adoption if no application was on file from you.**

Special Situations

• Animals under 8 weeks or with serious medical needs may be transferred to a partner organization for specialized care.
  In these cases, finder adoptions may not be possible due to the urgency or complexity of the animal’s needs.
• MADACC will determine the best path for these animals based on timeliness, medical needs, and adoptability.

FREE Ride Home for Licensed Pets

If your pet is wearing a current license tag, MADACC offers one FREE ride home per year.

What Happens to Animals on Stray Hold at MADACC?

When a lost or stray animal is brought to MADACC, here’s what you can expect:

All found animals are held for a mandatory 5-day stray hold, as required by Wisconsin state law (4 days + the intake day).

• During this time, animals are:
  • – Vaccinated
  • – Given a basic health exam
  • – Posted on our website

IMPORTANT:
We encourage you to keep checking MADACC’s website daily and visit in person, even if you’ve filed a lost report. Descriptions and photos can vary, and your in-person identification is the most reliable.

What Happens After the Stray Hold?

On Day 6, unclaimed animals will be:

• – Made available for adoption, or
• – Transferred to a rescue or shelter partner, or
• – Humanely euthanized, only if the animal is:
  • – Severely ill or injured, and treatment isn’t possible
  • – Unsafe for placement due to behavioral concerns

We begin planning for each animal’s future during their stray hold, so timely action is important if you’re the owner.

Rescue Transfer Timing

• – Most rescue/shelter partners plan to pick up animals by Day 9
• – Once an animal is transferred, they legally belong to that shelter or rescue

Adoptable Animals

If an animal is healthy and friendly:

• – We will hold them for adoption as long as needed, or
• – Work with a partner rescue to find them a new home

Reuniting pets with their families is always our first goal.
Let us help you bring your pet home.