In short
- Lost pet: check the council’s Lost Pets in Ranger Care list, report it lost on the council site, mark it missing on the NSW Pet Registry, then post on the map and the Facebook groups.
- The pound: City of Newcastle Animal Facility, 75 Elizabeth Street, Tighes Hill, staffed 8 to 11am and 2 to 4pm daily. Seven days for unchipped animals, 14 for chipped. Daily fees.
- Found dog: check the collar, get it scanned at any vet, report it as a stray so a ranger can arrange drop-off.
- Found cat: cats can roam and cannot be taken from a public place. Call RSPCA NSW or a vet only if it is hurt.
- Keys, wallet, phone: police on Watt Street, Transport for NSW for trains and buses, the airport for the airport, and a lost or found pin on Rangr Dangr for anything on a street or beach.
Lost pet
Council first.
Every animal a ranger picks up is listed on City of Newcastle's Lost Pets in Ranger Care page with an impound number. If yours is there, use Claim your pet.
Report it lost.
On the council website, if it is not listed. They contact you if a match comes in.
NSW Pet Registry.
Log in, set your pet to missing and check your phone number is current. Any vet or shelter that scans the microchip sees that status.
Post it where locals look.
Drop a lost pet pin on the Rangr Dangr map at the street it went missing from. Pins stay up for a day and everyone in the area sees them. Then the Newcastle and Hunter lost pet Facebook groups and PawBoost, same photo.
Walk the block.
Dawn and dusk, with something that smells of home. Tell the neighbours three doors each way.
The pound
| Where | City of Newcastle Animal Facility, 75 Elizabeth Street, Tighes Hill |
| Hours | Typically staffed 8am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm, daily |
| Holding | 7 days for an animal with no identification, 14 days if microchipped. Unclaimed animals pass to a rehoming group. |
| Fees | Impound and sustenance fees are charged per day, so the sooner you collect, the less it costs. Hardship waivers are assessed case by case. |
| To go home | The animal must be microchipped and lifetime registered, and the fees paid. |
Found a pet
A dog
- Check the collar or tag for a phone number.
- Take it to any vet to be scanned. Vets do this for free, and the chip may already say the dog is missing.
- Report a stray dog on the City of Newcastle website. If it is inside a Newcastle suburb a ranger will call you to arrange a drop-off at Tighes Hill.
- Drop a found pin on Rangr Dangr with the street you found it on, and post to the lost pet groups with a photo.
A cat
Cats are allowed to roam and cannot be taken from a public place, apart from food preparation and wildlife protection areas. If the cat is injured, sick or clearly in trouble, call RSPCA NSW or a local vet. Otherwise a found pin on the map and a post in the local groups is the right move.
Lost keys, wallet, phone
| Lost it… | Check |
|---|---|
| On a street, park or beach | A lost pin on Rangr Dangr at the spot, and the map's found items layer. The surf clubs and beach kiosks keep a box too. |
| Handed in to police | Newcastle Police Station, 1 Watt Street, Newcastle. Phone (02) 4929 0999. |
| Train, bus or station | Transport for NSW lost property. Newcastle Interchange and Newcastle Station staff can log it on the spot. |
| Newcastle Airport | The airport's own lost and found, through its contact page. |
| Shop, pub or café | Ring them. Most hold property for a few weeks before handing it to police. |
| Taxi or rideshare | The app's lost item form, or the taxi company's lost property line. |
Found something
- Keys, a wallet, a phone, a bag: post a found pin on Rangr Dangr naming the item and the street, but not what is inside it. Hand it to Newcastle Police Station if nobody claims it within a day or two.
- A bank card: cut it up or hand it to any branch of that bank. Never post the number.
- Licence or Medicare card: police station, or any Service NSW centre.
- A bike or scooter: police, with a photo and the serial number.
Posting on the map
Rangr Dangr is the live, neighbour-powered map of Newcastle. Lost pets and found items are two of its layers. Double-tap the map where it happened, choose lost pet or found item, add a line and a photo if you have one, and everyone browsing that part of Newcastle sees it for the next 24 hours. A Still there tap keeps it up longer. It is free and runs in your browser.
Good to know.
My dog is missing in Newcastle. Where do I look first?
City of Newcastle’s Lost Pets in Ranger Care page, where every animal picked up by rangers is listed. If it is not there, report it lost on the council website, mark it missing on the NSW Pet Registry, then post on the Rangr Dangr map and the local lost pet groups.
Where is the Newcastle council pound?
The City of Newcastle Animal Facility is at 75 Elizabeth Street, Tighes Hill. It is typically staffed 8am to 11am and 2pm to 4pm daily. Unidentified animals are held seven days and microchipped animals 14 days, with daily fees, so collect early.
I found a dog in Newcastle. What do I do?
Check the collar for a number, take it to any vet to be scanned for a microchip, and report it as a stray on the City of Newcastle website so a ranger can arrange a drop-off. Post a found pin on Rangr Dangr with the street so the owner can find you.
Where is lost property handed in around Newcastle?
Newcastle Police Station at 1 Watt Street takes handed-in property. Items lost on trains or buses go through Transport for NSW lost property. Newcastle Airport runs its own lost and found. For anything lost on a street or beach, post a lost pin on Rangr Dangr and check its found items layer.
Post it where the neighbours look.
Lost pets and found items on a live map of Newcastle streets, seen by the people walking them. Free, in your browser.