NYC Animal Rescue Free directory · All five boroughs

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Lost or found a rabbit, bird or reptile

Where to report, and how to tell a lost pet from a wild animal.

Lost-found & microchip / ID

Exotics can be microchipped and can be lost or found just like cats and dogs - but the search channels differ by species. Act fast: small animals and birds are vulnerable outdoors.

Birds (parrots, companion birds):

  • Microchipping: larger parrots can be microchipped by an avian vet; leg bands also carry ID. Register the chip and note the band number.
  • Lost/found parrots: Long Island Parrot Society runs a Lost & Found and placement program (liparrots.org). Post to regional parrot groups and to 911 Parrot Alert (911parrotalert.com), a national lost-and-found bird network.
  • A found domestic bird outdoors needs shelter fast - contain it safely and contact an avian vet or rescue.

Pigeons & doves (feral vs domestic):

  • A tame, all-white or oddly-colored pigeon that lets you approach is almost certainly a domestic/king pigeon that cannot survive in the wild - it needs rescue. Contact NYC Pigeon Rescue Central (nycprc.org Help Request form + Google Group) or bring it to the Wild Bird Fund. Banded racing/homing pigeons carry a band that can trace an owner.

Rabbits & small mammals:

  • Rabbits can be microchipped by a rabbit-savvy vet; register the chip. A found domestic rabbit outdoors is a rescue situation (they cannot survive as strays) - contact Rabbit Rescue & Rehab, All About Rabbits Rescue or Bunnies & Beyond, or ACC. Contain it safely and out of the heat/cold.

Reptiles (turtles especially):

  • A found turtle: determine pet vs native/wild before acting. A pet red-eared slider needs rehoming (NYTTS, Earthlings NYC); a native wild turtle should generally be left where found or, if injured, taken to a wild-turtle rehabber (NYTTS / Lorri Cramer). Never relocate a healthy native turtle far from where it was found.

General:

  • Animal Care Centers of NYC (nycacc.org) handles lost-and-found for animals it takes in across all five boroughs and is the citywide safety net for found exotics you cannot place.
  • Whatever the species: photograph the animal, note the exact found location, post to species-specific groups, and contact the relevant rescue in the main directory promptly.

This guide is compiled from the project's research files. Contact details inside it can go stale — check the directory for the current listing, and confirm a number is live before you rely on it.