If You Find Someone Else’s Lost Dog: A Guide to Legal Procedures from Reporting Obligations to Ownership

ImmunityQ&AMeongsiljang Veterinary Advisory Board

We’ve outlined the legal steps you must follow when you find a lost dog on the street, in order from reporting and public notice to the transfer of ownership.

What Are the Legal Procedures When You Find a Lost Dog?

Someone who found a lost dog on the neighborhood street

When you find a lost dog, the legal process involves reporting, posting a public notice, and returning the animal to its owner or formally resolving ownership, in accordance with the Lost Property Act and the Animal Protection Act. The most critical step is to report the finding within seven days. If you keep the dog privately and report it later, you could be charged with theft (misappropriation of lost property). Therefore, you should contact your nearest police station or local government animal protection center immediately upon discovery.

Why a Lost Dog Is Legally Classified as “Lost Property

Under current law, dogs are classified as “property” and thus fall under the Lost Property Act, meaning the basic procedures are similar to those for finding a wallet or a mobile phone. However, because they are living beings, the Animal Protection Act also applies. In other words, the process involves both standard lost-property procedures and protective measures by an animal protection center. Although a revision to the Civil Law to reclassify animals from “property” is being discussed as of 2026, it has not yet been enacted, so the Lost Property Act remains the current standard.

Legal Procedures by Step at a Glance

This is the entire process from the moment you find a lost pet to establishing legal ownership. If you follow the steps in the table below, you can handle everything without any legal issues.

Step-by-Step Actions After Finding a Lost Dog

Item	Deadline	Action Content
Step 1: Immediately Upon Discovery	Immediately	Check leash, ID tag, and microchip; scan chip at an animal hospital
Step 2: Reporting	Within 7 days	Report to the police station or local government animal protection center
Step 3: Public Notice	10+ days	Post notice on the Animal Protection Management System (APMS)
Step 4: Return	During the notice period	Return the dog upon verification of the owner
Step 5: Transfer of Ownership	After notice expires	Transfer ownership to the local government and proceed with adoption process

The public notice period may vary from 10 to 20 days depending on the local government.

Three Things to Check Immediately After Discovery

Before filing a report, quickly check for clues to identify the owner.

Collar and ID tag: It may list the pet’s name, phone number, and address.

Implanted microchip: Bring the animal to a nearby veterinary clinic for a free scan. If the chip has a registration number, the owner can be looked up in the Animal Protection Management System.

Physical characteristics: Take photos of the breed, coat color, and any distinctive features, as these will be helpful when filing a report.

If possible, visiting a veterinary clinic is the fastest solution. Even without a microchip, it’s a good opportunity to check the animal’s health.

A puppy getting its microchip scanned at a veterinary clinic

Keeping the Dog Without Reporting It Constitutes a Crime

If you find a lost dog and keep it for more than seven days without reporting it, you may be charged with the crime of misappropriating another’s property (Article 360 of the Criminal Act), which can result in up to one year in prison or a fine of up to $2,000. Even if your intention is simply that you want to keep the dog, you must still follow the proper reporting procedures. Contact your local police station’s public service desk or your municipality’s animal protection center within one to two days of finding the dog.

How to Report and Contact Information

There are two main channels for reporting a lost dog.

Police Station: Call 112 or visit your nearest police substation or precinct. The report will be filed as a lost item and later transferred to an animal protection center.

Local Government Animal Protection Center: Contact the animal welfare department of your city, county, or district office. You can get guidance from anywhere in Korea by calling 120 (the local government representative number) or the Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency at 1588-7060.

When filing a report, please provide the location and time of discovery, along with photos and distinctive features of the dog. If shelter intake is not possible, you may volunteer for temporary foster care (subject to local government approval).

A person who reports a lost dog over the phone while being with the dog.

Public Notice Period and Criteria for Transfer of Ownership

After reporting, a notice is posted on the Animal Protection Management System (APMS) for at least 10 days. If no owner comes forward during this period, ownership is transferred to the local government under Article 40 of the Animal Protection Act. After that, the animal may be adopted through the local government’s shelter or transferred to a private rescue facility. If the finder wishes to adopt the animal themselves, they can apply for “finder’s priority adoption” after the notice period ends. However, procedures and requirements vary by local government, so it’s best to express your interest at the time of reporting.

How Compensation and Costs Are Handled

Under Article 4 of the Lost Property Act, if the owner appears, the finder may claim compensation ranging from 5% to 20% of the item’s value. However, since it is difficult to determine the market value of animals, in practice, reimbursement is often handled by settling the actual expenses incurred for food and veterinary care during the period of custody. Be sure to keep all receipts. Conversely, if the dog is injured or lost while in your care, you may be held liable for damages due to a breach of the duty of care expected of a good-faith custodian.

Reviewed by a veterinarian

Dr. Tony — Punnawat Phongkittirak

Veterinarian

A veterinarian who majored in veterinary medicine at Khon Kaen University, Thailand, and completed the IVSA program at North Carolina State University in the United States. Drawing on clinical experience at animal hospitals, he works in the pet healthcare field and is dedicated to building a digital care environment that connects pet parents with veterinarians.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do I have to take a lost dog to a shelter?

While reporting a found pet is mandatory, surrendering it to a shelter is not. With approval from the local government, the finder may provide temporary foster care during the required public notice period. Some local governments even recommend temporary fostering, as certain shelters face the risk of euthanasia.

What happens if a dog doesn’t have a microchip?

The process is the same even if your pet doesn’t have a microchip. Report the loss to the police or an animal protection center, and they will post a notice with your pet’s physical description and the location where they were found. If your pet wears a collar or identification tag, submit that information along with your report.

Once the announcement period ends, can I adopt the pet right away?

Ownership doesn’t automatically transfer to you. Once the public notice period ends, ownership initially passes to the local government, and the finder must apply for “priority adoption” and complete the formal adoption process. At that time, you may be required to have the pet spayed or neutered and registered.

If the animal was found in a different area, where should I report it?

The local government office with jurisdiction over the area where the animal was found is responsible for handling the case. For example, if a lost pet is found in Seoul, even if the owner lives in Gyeonggi Province, the report should be filed with the Seoul animal protection center. Even if the owner resides in another region, the APMS (Animal Protection Management System) is accessible nationwide, so the information can be retrieved.

What if I report it, but the shelter is too far away or can’t take the animal in?

If you express your willingness to provide temporary foster care to the local government, they will usually grant approval. Be sure to keep all receipts for food and veterinary expenses incurred during the foster period, and the local government will handle posting the public notice on your behalf.