PawAlarm

Lost dog in Des Moines?Emergency help to bring your dog home fast.

Every hour counts – we get going right away and alert thousands of neighbors around the spot where your dog went missing. Every sighting comes straight to you.

Start an alert

How it works

Within 60 minutes, thousands of neighbors see your pet: we put your alert on Facebook and Instagram, right around the spot where it went missing.

Every sighting reaches you instantly – by email and in your personal dashboard.

Start your alert now

Start for free · live on in 60 min

4.8· 247 reviews1200+ pets back home
Map of PawAlarm's search radius around Des Moines

How PawAlarm helps in Des Moines

This circle is who sees the alert: people who live, walk and drive around the last-seen spot in Des Moines — not your friends list. A neighbour two streets over, or someone passing through from the next town, is the person most likely to notice your dog.

≈ 300,000 neighbours within 6.2 mi
  • SophieReunited

    Sophie

    Found after 4 days and 11 hours

  • SukiReunited

    Suki

    Found after 5 days and 4 hours

  • SadieReunited

    Sadie

    Found after 1 day and 4 hours

  • EeveeReunited

    Eevee

    Found after 4 months and 2 weeks

  • AbbyReunited

    Abby

    Found after 4 days and 13 hours

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Local help in Des Moines

These local services can help you search for a missing pet in Des Moines.

Animal control & found pets

24h emergency vets3

Animal shelters3

Local search groups5

National lost & found registries5

Sources:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12][13][14]

What your PawAlarm alert does in Des Moines

The moment you start, we run your pet as a Facebook, Instagram & TikTok ad the whole neighbourhood sees — here is exactly what you get.

What you get

  • Free poster template (PDF)Print-ready PDF – ready to put up right away.Free
  • Personal dashboard – manage sightings & contact findersOne link, no password: every sighting, message and finder's phone number in one place.Free
  • Professionally optimised social-media campaignWe design, run & optimise the ads – no ad account needed.Professional
  • Private detective: shelters, vets & lost-pet registries alerted nearbyWe report your pet to shelters, vets, registries and Facebook groups nearby.Professional
Start an alert
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First steps if you lose your dog in Des Moines

  1. 1

    Search outward along roads, paths and fields — a dog can cover several kilometres in the first few hours.

    Tip from locals

    Search outward toward Water Works Park, about 2.1 miles away, and along the Des Moines River, about 0.2 miles off, since a dog can cover a lot of ground in the first hours.

  2. 2

    Call the shelter, the local police and nearby vets straight away: a loose dog is usually picked up and handed in quickly.

    Tip from locals

    Call local police and the three vet practices within about 3 miles straight away.

  3. 3

    Ask people not to chase or shout — a frightened dog runs. Crouch down, avoid eye contact and call calmly.

    Tip from locals

    Ask dog walkers at Gray's Lake Park, about 2.1 miles away, and at the eight dog parks within about 3 miles, to watch and call rather than chase.

  4. 4

    Leave something carrying your scent, plus water, where he went missing, and check back regularly.

  5. 5

    Report him to the microchip registry and start a targeted alert that reaches the whole neighbourhood at once.

    Tip from locals

    Include Saylorville, about 5.5 miles north, West Des Moines, about 5.5 miles west, and Urbandale, about 5.6 miles west, when you spread the word.

Frequently asked questions

How does PawAlarm help if my dog goes missing in Des Moines?

PawAlarm turns your missing-pet report into a search alert on Facebook and Instagram. It is shown to the people who live and get around near the spot where your dog was last seen – within 1 mi of Des Moines, that's about 13,000 people. The alert goes live within 60 minutes. Anyone who spots your dog reports the sighting on your search page, and you get it by email straight away.

What should I do first when my dog goes missing?

Note the last-seen place and time, prepare a clear photo, and contact local animal services, shelters and vets. Ask people to report sightings with a location and time, so you can follow up on useful information.

Lost Dog: What to Do in the First 24 Hours
How much does an alert cost in Des Moines?

Alerts in Des Moines start from $49. The price follows how far your alert reaches around the last-seen spot in Des Moines: 1 mi reaches about 13,000 people for $88, 1.8 mi reaches about 44,000 people for $300, and 3 mi reaches about 110,000 people for $790. You see the exact price before you pay, and there is no subscription.

Can I use PawAlarm in Des Moines for free?

Yes. A printable search poster with a QR code, your own search page where finders report sightings, sightings straight to your inbox and a personal dashboard with search tips are all free. You only pay for reach: the alert on Facebook and Instagram around Des Moines – a one-off payment, no subscription.

Where is the nearest animal shelter to Des Moines?

For Des Moines, we list Animal Rescue League of Iowa (ARL). Address: 5452 NE 22nd St, Des Moines, IA 50313. Phone: (515) 262-9503. Call before you go and ask about animals brought in recently.

Who do I call about a stray animal in Des Moines?

In Des Moines, call the Police Department dispatch line 24/7; it sends an ARL Animal Services Officer during scheduled hours or a police officer during off hours. Strays arriving at the Animal Rescue League are listed on IowaPetAlert.com within 24 hours.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

Who sets the fees to reclaim an impounded pet in Des Moines?

The Des Moines City Council sets the fee structure for all animal service fees. Pets that are spayed/neutered, microchipped, licensed and rabies vaccinated get the lowest fees.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

I found a dog in Des Moines — who takes it in?

Found animals in Des Moines are handled by Des Moines Animal Care. Address: 1441 Harriet St, Des Moines, IA 50317. Phone: (515) 284-6905. You can also report the find for free on PawAlarm.

More questions about lost dogs →

Pricing

Searching in Des Moines: start for free or alert everyone nearby

The search poster and search page for your dog are free. With Professional, we show your alert to about 13,000 people within 1 mi of Des Moines – on Facebook and Instagram, live in 60 minutes.

Free

Everything for searching on the ground

$0

  • Printable search poster with QR code
  • Your own search page where finders report sightings
  • Sightings straight to your inbox
  • Personal dashboard and search tips
Start for free
Recommended

Professional

Put the whole area on the lookout

from $49one-time

Des Moines: ≈ 13,000 neighbours within 1 mi

  • Everything in Free
  • Your alert in front of thousands of neighbors on Facebook and Instagram
  • Live in 60 minutes – stop anytime
  • Private detective: we alert shelters, vets and Facebook groups nearby
Start an alert
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One-time payment – no subscription.

Helpful guides

Close-up of a frightened dog — a lost dog can slip into panicked survival mode

Lost Dog: What to Do in the First 24 Hours

A calm, step-by-step action plan for the first 24 hours after your dog goes missing.

7 min read

A small dog sitting alone at the edge of a field, looking into the distance

How to Find a Lost Dog: A Step-by-Step Search Plan

The complete search plan for a lost dog, from setting your search radius and searching without chasing to posters, alerts, feeding stations and the weeks after.

9 min read

An anxious dog hiding under a blanket — typical during fireworks and thunderstorms

Dog Ran Away Scared: What to Do When Your Dog Bolts in Panic

Why panicked dogs run blind and far — and how to bring a scared dog home instead of accidentally driving it further away.

8 min read

Close-up of a dog's face — a clear photo makes the best lost-pet poster

How to Make a Lost-Pet Poster That Actually Works

A poster that works needs one big photo, one huge word, and only the essentials. Here is exactly how to build and place it.

7 min read

A hand holding a phone with social media apps

How to Use Facebook and Nextdoor to Find a Lost Pet

How to post on Facebook and Nextdoor so your appeal actually reaches the right people — and where free organic posts run out of reach.

8 min read

Shown on to ~300,000 neighbours in Des Moines.

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