A lost pet
A collar, a groomed coat, friendliness or a pedigree breed suggest a lost pet. Check for a tag, take it to a vet to scan for a microchip, and post in local groups.
← Rescue & Adoption
JLIT field guide · Last checked 4 November 2026
Lost, found or injured animals in Thailand
What to do if your pet goes missing, if you find a lost pet, or if you come across a stray or injured dog or cat — staying safe, checking for a microchip, who to call in Bangkok and Phuket, and what a rescue group can and cannot do.
Microchipany vet clinic or shelter can scan a found pet for its owner's details
076-681-029Soi Dog's Phuket line for sick or injured street animals
061 172 1106Soi Dog's Bangkok line (weekdays 08:00–17:00)
Rabieswash any bite or scratch at once and see a doctor the same day
The essential answer
Act fast, stay safe, and use the microchip.
If your pet is missing, search immediately, alert your building and neighbours, post in local Facebook and LINE groups, and call nearby vets and shelters. A registered microchip with your current phone number is the single best way to be reunited.
If you find an animal, keep yourself safe first — street dogs may not be vaccinated against rabies. Check whether it is someone's pet, take it to a vet to scan for a microchip, and for sick or injured street animals contact a rescue group such as Soi Dog in Bangkok or Phuket.
Chapter 01
If your pet is lost
The first hours matter most
Step by step
Six things to do straight away
- 1
Search nearby
Check stairwells, car parks, gardens and under cars. Cats often hide silently close to home; call at quiet times.
- 2
Tell security
Alert your building's juristic office, guards and neighbours, and ask to check CCTV.
- 3
Post online
Share a clear photo, area, phone number and LINE ID in local Facebook groups, LINE groups and neighbourhood pages.
- 4
Call vets and shelters
Ring nearby vet clinics, animal hospitals and rescue groups — found pets are often taken there to be scanned.
- 5
Put up posters
In Thai and English, at shops, 7-Elevens, motorbike taxi stands and village gates.
- 6
Check the microchip
Make sure the registry has your current Thai phone number, so anyone who scans it can reach you.
Spreading the word
What to put on a lost-pet post
Keep it short and clear: a recent photo, the area and time it went missing, distinguishing marks, your phone number and LINE ID, and a line in Thai. Saying a reward is offered often helps. Do not include the microchip number publicly — keep it to prove ownership.
Motorbike taxi drivers, security guards, street food vendors and cleaners see a lot of the neighbourhood; show them the photo in person.
Prevention
Make it easy for your pet to come home
- Microchip and register it — in Thailand's national database or an international registry — and update it every time you move or change number.
- Collar and tag with your phone number, even for indoor cats.
- Register with the city: compulsory in Bangkok from 10 January 2027.
- Secure doors, gates and balconies, and take extra care during fireworks, storms, house moves and Songkran.
- Keep recent photos showing your pet's face and markings.
- Sterilise: unneutered pets are more likely to roam.
Chapter 02
If you find an animal
Lost pet, street animal or injured animal?
First, work out what you have found
Pet, street animal, or animal in trouble?
A healthy street animal
Many community dogs and cats are fed by locals and have been sterilised — often marked by a notched ear. They usually do not need rescuing.
An animal in trouble
Injured, very thin, unable to walk, in a road, or a very young animal alone. These need help — see below.
Found a lost pet
Helping a lost pet get home
- Approach calmly, and only if the animal seems friendly.
- Check for a collar and tag with a phone number.
- Take it to the nearest vet clinic or animal hospital to scan for a microchip — usually free or inexpensive.
- Ask the building security and neighbours, and look in local lost-pet groups.
- Post a photo of the animal (keep one detail back to check the true owner).
- If you cannot keep it safely while you search, ask a local rescue group for advice.
Sick or injured animals
Who to call
Phuket: Soi Dog Foundation, 076-681-029 (also LINE @sdf2003, clinic@soidog.org). The shelter hospital is open 08:00–23:00 daily, and the same number reaches the out-of-hours team if an animal's life is at immediate risk. Call before taking an animal to a partner clinic — they will not admit it without Soi Dog's approval.
Bangkok: Soi Dog, 061 172 1106 or bkkclinic@soidog.org, with photos, the location and your number (Monday–Friday 08:00–17:00). Soi Dog has no shelter in Bangkok and limited treatment, but can suggest a pet taxi and the nearest vet.
Elsewhere: contact the nearest rescue group in our shelter directory, or take the animal to a vet yourself — be ready to pay for treatment.
Helping safely
Five steps for an injured animal
- 1
Stay safe
Injured animals in pain may bite. Keep traffic in mind and do not put yourself at risk.
- 2
Record it
Take photos and note the exact location — a map pin helps rescuers find it.
- 3
Call for help
Phone a rescue group or the nearest 24-hour animal hospital before moving the animal.
- 4
Move with care
Use a towel or blanket; slide larger dogs onto a board or blanket to keep the spine straight.
- 5
Transport
A pet taxi or GrabPet can take you and the animal to a vet. See our pet emergencies guide.
Kittens and puppies
Found young animals on their own?
Mothers often leave kittens and puppies while they look for food. Unless the babies are in danger, cold, wet or obviously sick, watch from a distance for a few hours before moving them.
If they are truly abandoned, very young animals need warmth and specialist feeding — never give cow's milk. Contact a vet or rescue group straight away for advice on bottle-feeding or fostering.
Shelters are full
Rescue groups cannot take every animal
Most Thai shelters are already full and run on donations. Rather than dropping an animal at a shelter, call first and ask how you can help: many groups will treat and sterilise a street animal and return it to its area, or support you to foster it while they find a home.
Bites, scratches and rabies
If you are bitten or scratched
Rabies is present in Thailand, and most human cases come from dog bites. If any animal bites or scratches you — even a small scratch — wash the wound thoroughly with soap and running water for 15 minutes, and see a doctor or hospital the same day for advice on rabies treatment. Do not wait to see whether the animal becomes ill.
If you plan to work with street animals regularly, ask your doctor about rabies vaccination before exposure.
Living alongside street animals
Helping community dogs and cats responsibly
Sterilisation first
Sterilising and vaccinating street animals is the most effective long-term help. Many charities run free or low-cost programmes and welcome donations.
Feeding
If you feed street animals, do it at the same place and time, clean up afterwards, and talk to neighbours — feeding without sterilisation can lead to more litters and complaints.
Never abandon a pet
Releasing or abandoning pets in public places is prohibited in Bangkok, and cruelty and neglect are offences under Thai law. If you cannot keep a pet, ask a rescue group for help rehoming it.
Checklist
Be ready before it happens
Ticks are kept for this visit only.
Quick answers
Lost, found and stray animals in Thailand: FAQs
What should I do if my dog is lost in Bangkok?
Search nearby at once, alert your building's security, post a clear photo in local Facebook and LINE groups, call nearby vets and shelters, put up posters in Thai and English, and check your microchip details are current.
Where can I get a found pet scanned for a microchip?
Any vet clinic, animal hospital or shelter can scan for a microchip. It is usually free or inexpensive.
Who do I call about an injured stray dog in Phuket?
Soi Dog Foundation on 076-681-029 (also LINE @sdf2003). The same number reaches the out-of-hours team if the animal's life is at immediate risk.
Who helps injured strays in Bangkok?
Soi Dog's Bangkok clinic on 061 172 1106 or bkkclinic@soidog.org (weekdays 08:00–17:00) can advise and suggest a pet taxi and the nearest vet. You may need to pay for treatment yourself.
Will a shelter take a stray I found?
Often not — most shelters are full. Call first: many will help treat and sterilise the animal, or support you to foster it while they look for a home.
What do I do if a stray dog bites me?
Wash the wound with soap and running water for 15 minutes and see a doctor the same day for rabies advice. Do not wait for symptoms.
What does a notched ear on a street dog or cat mean?
Usually that the animal has been sterilised by a welfare programme and returned to its area.
I found kittens on their own. Should I take them?
Watch from a distance for a few hours first — the mother may be nearby. If they are in danger, cold or sick, contact a vet or rescue group. Never give cow's milk.
Is it illegal to abandon a pet in Thailand?
Releasing or abandoning pets in public places is prohibited under Bangkok's pet ordinance, and cruelty and neglect are offences under the Animal Welfare Act. Ask a rescue group for help rehoming instead.
How do I update my pet's microchip details in Thailand?
For chips registered in Thailand's national database, ask the clinic that implanted the chip to update your details. International registries let you update online.
Sources & verification
How we checked this guide
Last checked 4 November 2026. Phone numbers and hours come from Soi Dog Foundation's emergency help page; always call before travelling. Medical advice on bites is general — see a doctor.
Rescue & adoption
