A Closer Look at Friendly Finders: Community Action in Reuniting Lost Pets

At the Humane Society for Tacoma & Pierce County, our Friendly Finders program is a community-first approach that helps lost pets return home faster by keeping them where they’re most likely to be found, right in their neighborhoods.

Launched in early 2025, the Friendly Finders program is designed to reimagine how our community supports lost and found pets by building upon what people were already doing. Neighbors were stepping in to care for found animals and help reunite them with their families, often without the need to bring them to the shelter. The Friendly Finders program expands and strengthens those efforts by providing a clear way to share information through our channels, along with practical guidance and tips for locating owners. One year later, the results demonstrate the power of community-supported sheltering in action. 

Through Friendly Finders, neighbors are empowered to safely assist lost pets right where they are found, helping bridge the gap between separation and reunion. Instead of every found animal immediately entering the shelter system, this program encourages community members to play an active role in reuniting pets with their families or facilitating safe, private rehoming when needed. 

The program doesn’t ask community members to do this work alone. We provide direct support to Friendly Finders every step of the way. This includes guidance on safe handling and temporary care, access to supplies like food or crates, and staff assistance with creating found pet listings on our website and conducting outreach. 

Community members can also rely on our team for help scanning for microchips, navigating conversations with potential owners, and determining next steps if a reunion is not possible. With this support, Friendly Finders ensures that people who step up to help a lost pet feel confident, supported, and connected. 

The impact in 2025 has been significant:

• 48% of animals submitted through Friendly Finders never entered the shelter
• 965 total Friendly Finder submissions
• 449 animals diverted from shelter intake through the program

These numbers reflect hundreds of pets reunited with their families, rehomed through local networks, or cared for directly by the individuals who found them. 

Friendly Finders allows us to extend our reach far beyond our physical walls. By keeping animals close to where they were found, we increase the likelihood of a swift reunion, since most pets are found just a short distance from home. 

A study by GPS-collar company Fi found that 95% of dogs who wander beyond their designated safe zones travel no more than 1.8 miles, with most dogs recovered just 0.13 miles from home. Building on this, research by data analyst Tom Kremer, published in Frontiers in Veterinary Science and highlighted by Human Animal Support Services,  show that community-based approaches, such as keeping found pets in their neighborhoods and using local outreach, can significantly improve return-to-home rates. 

The program also supports pet owners by reducing the need for in-person shelter visits and potential transportation barriers that can come with traveling to a shelter in a county as large as Pierce County, making the reunion process more accessible and less stressful.

Equally important, Friendly Finders helps ensure that our shelter has the space and resources to care for the animals who need us most, including those who are injured, vulnerable, or part of cases under investigation by our animal control partners. By working alongside our community, we’re able to prioritize critical care while still supporting positive outcomes for lost and found pets.

At its core, Friendly Finders reflect a broader shift in how we approach animal welfare. It’s not only about what happens inside the shelter, but how we work together as a community to support pets and the people who love them. 

Friendly Finders is more than a program, it’s a partnership. And together, we’re helping more animals find their way home. 

Discover our https://www.thehumanesociety.org/lost-and-found-pets/friendly-finders/Friendly Finders program.