Today our hearts are heavy as we collectively mourn the unfathomable loss of people and animals in the Texas Hill Country floods. And, as we enter disaster season in communities around the nation, we want to remind you that Petco Love Lost can help you reunite not only live pets in your care, but also those who tragically perished. After all, sometimes the very best thing we can do for frantic pet parents, in the absence of good news, is to provide closure.

We also want to make sure that we’re being as sensitive and respectful as possible, and that we’re not exposing the public to upsetting images that may be harmful. Here’s how you can best use Petco Love Lost to identify and help those pet parents whose pets were found deceased:

1. Take a few wide photos of the pet, being sure to capture any unique fur markings.
2. Go to https://petcolovelost.org and click “I found a pet”. Follow the prompts and upload the photos. Please note: the system may reject graphic photos of severely injured pets. If that happens, please try a different photo or use distance search only.
3. Check the search results, using filters to narrow down your search.
4. IMPORTANT: Please do NOT file a report, which would make the deceased pet’s photo appear in other people’s pet search results. This could be very traumatizing to the public. We ask that you SEARCH existing reports ONLY.
5. If you find a match, you can reach out to the pet parent through the Petco Love Lost chat feature. We know that this is the last piece of news you want to give to a pet parent, and we thank you for being compassionate and sensitive in your delivery.