Post in lost+found for your local Craigslist area, then search lost+found and pets every day, including nearby areas, for found and rehoming ads.
Two jobs, not one
Craigslist helps in two ways: you post a lost notice, and you search daily for what other people have posted. The second job is often skipped. A finder who never saw your poster may post in the lost+found section, and someone who decided to keep or pass on a stray may post in pets. Do both today. Go to the Craigslist site for your area, post in lost+found under community, then bookmark the lost+found and pets pages. Nobody can tell you how often this works. The recovery surveys we rely on do not single out Craigslist, and searching on foot and contacting shelters have far better evidence behind them. Treat this as a free extra channel that takes ten minutes a day, not as your main search.
Make the post
Craigslist’s help page gives these steps. Pick your geographic area, click create a posting, and confirm your location if asked. Select a posting type and then a category. On the home page, lost+found sits under community, so look for that wording. Enter your text, check that the map shows the right ZIP code area, add images and review the draft before you click publish. You may then get an email from robot@craigslist.org with a link you must click, and you may be asked to verify a phone number. Craigslist says a posting should appear about 15 minutes after confirmation. If you do not see it, check your spam folder for that email. Craigslist shows any fee on the draft before you pay, so you will know if one applies. We did not find a help page that states a fee for lost+found.
A title that shows up in searches
People scan titles, and they search by simple words. Put the species, the color, the breed and the place in the title, like this: LOST DOG, black lab mix, male, Oak and 5th, Riverside. Then repeat those words in the body in plain language, and add the common alternatives a stranger might use, such as black dog, lab, labrador, retriever mix. For the body: Missing since Tuesday evening from near Oak and 5th. Wearing a red collar. Friendly at home but scared now, please do not chase. If you see him, call the number below with the time and place. Use cross streets, not your address. Keep back one detail, such as a mark inside an ear, so you can test anyone who says they found him. Add your clearest photo first, because the first image is the one people notice.
Stay within the rules
Craigslist asks you to post in only the single geographic area closest to you, so do not paste the same ad into every city nearby. Its help page also says to post each item no more than once every 48 hours, and it lists overposting as a reason for removal. Free postings can be renewed every 48 to 72 hours, using the renew link next to the title on your account page, and that puts the ad back at the top of the listings. Set a reminder and renew as soon as you can. Renewing is better than posting a duplicate. If the search moves, because you have a sighting in another town, you can delete the old post and create a new one in the right area. Another reason for removal is posting someone else’s personal details, so do not name a suspected thief or a neighbor.
What to search for every day
Open lost+found and sort by newest. Search found dog or found cat, then the color, the breed and the neighborhood. Finders often get breeds wrong, so try wide words as well: small dog, gray cat, stray. Then open the pets section and look for rehoming ads. Craigslist bans pet sales but allows re-homing with a small adoption fee, so a stray someone took in could appear there. Search rehome, free, needs home and your pet’s color and type. Do the same in the Craigslist areas next door, because a pet can cross a boundary and finders post where they live. The BBB notes that a stolen pet may be offered for sale online. If you see your pet in an ad, save the screenshots and the link, and call the police before you contact the seller.
When you get a reply
Craigslist warns about people pretending to be a Craigslist user or another trusted authority to get your money, items or personal information. Lost pet posts draw that kind of contact. Ask anyone who says they have your pet for a current photo and for the detail you held back. The BBB says to get a callback number, because scammers often fake numbers, and to refuse wire transfers and prepaid cards. Do not send verification codes to anyone. If you arrange to meet, go with someone else, in a public place in daylight. If you see a fake or suspicious ad, use the prohibited link at the top of the posting to flag it. For more detail, see our post on lost pet scams: how to tell a real finder from a fake one.
If you found a pet
Post in lost+found with one photo and only general details: Found young gray cat near Oak and 5th. Call with a description. Leave out the collar color, any marks and the sex, and ask the caller to supply them, so you can tell a real owner from someone else. Then check lost+found for a matching lost ad. Ask a vet or shelter to scan for a microchip, and report the found pet to your local shelter, since that is where an owner is likely to call. Local hold rules vary.
Take it down
When the search ends, delete the post. Use the manage link in your email, or sign in and click delete next to the title. Do this the same day, so your phone number stops circulating. Craigslist lets you undelete a post if you remove it by mistake. Also delete any older copies, then close your reports with shelters and your microchip registry.
Sources
Craigslist, creating a posting: craigslist.org/about/help/posting/create. Craigslist, renewing a free posting: craigslist.org/about/help/posting/modify/renew. Craigslist, deleting a posting: craigslist.org/about/help/posting/modify/delete. Craigslist, reasons postings are removed: craigslist.org/about/help/reasons. Craigslist, prohibited items: craigslist.org/about/prohibited. Craigslist, scams: craigslist.org/about/help/safety/scams. Craigslist contact page: craigslist.org/contact. BBB lost pet scam alert: bbb.org/article/scams/8612-lost-pet-watch-out-for-this-scam-text-message.