PawAlarm

Lost dog in Madison?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 for free · live on in 60 min

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

How PawAlarm helps in Madison

This circle is who sees the alert: people who live, walk and drive around the last-seen spot in Madison — 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
  • AzorReunited

    Azor

    Found after 4 months and 4 weeks

  • HassoReunited

    Hasso

    Found after 4 days and 7 hours

  • OnyxReunited

    Onyx

    Found after 4 days and 3 hours

  • YogiReunited

    Yogi

    Found after 1 week and 5 days

  • TuckerReunited

    Tucker

    Found after 2 months and 1 week

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Local help in Madison

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

24h emergency vets3

Animal shelters

National lost & found registries5

Sources:[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9]

What your PawAlarm alert does in Madison

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
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First steps if you lose your dog in Madison

  1. 1

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

    Tip from locals

    Run the outward search along Lake Monona and Wingra Creek, about 0.7 and 1.1 miles away, then into Wingra Woods and Lost City Forest, about 1.9 and 2.1 miles out.

  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 the police and the 13 vet practices within about 3 miles straight away, without waiting for the search to finish.

  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 in Henry Vilas Park and Olin Park, about 0.9 and 1.2 miles away, 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

    Share the photo with Maple Bluff, about 3.3 miles north, and Monona, around 3.5 miles east, the neighborhoods a dog may already have reached.

Frequently asked questions

How does PawAlarm help if my dog goes missing in Madison?

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 Madison, that's about 44,000 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 Madison?

Alerts in Madison start from $49. The price follows how far your alert reaches around the last-seen spot in Madison: 1 mi reaches about 44,000 people for $88, 1.8 mi reaches about 59,000 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 Madison 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 Madison – a one-off payment, no subscription.

Where is the nearest animal shelter to Madison?

For Madison, we list Dane County Humane Society. Address: 5132 Voges Road, Madison, WI 53718. Phone: (608) 838-0413. Call before you go and ask about animals brought in recently.

Do dogs and cats in Madison need a license, and what does it cost?

City of Madison residents must license every dog or cat that is 5 months or older; the license year runs January 1 to December 31. The regular fee is $25 for a spayed or neutered pet and $36 for an unaltered one, and a $5 late fee can apply to licenses bought on or after April 1. Proof of current rabies vaccination is required.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

Who do I call about a loose animal in Madison, and who handles barking dogs?

Public Health Madison & Dane County Animal Services handles stray and loose domestic animals, aggressive animals and sick or injured strays, with an urgent dispatch line at 608-255-2345 and a non-urgent office line at 608-267-1989. It does not handle barking dogs; in Madison those go to the police at 608-266-4275.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

I found a dog in Madison — who takes it in?

Found animals in Madison are handled by Public Health Madison & Dane County - Animal Services. Phone: (608) 255-2345. You can also report the find for free on PawAlarm.

More questions about lost dogs →

Pricing

Searching in Madison: 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 44,000 people within 1 mi of Madison – 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
Recommended

Professional

Put the whole area on the lookout

from $49one-time

Madison: ≈ 44,000 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
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One-time payment – no subscription.

Shown on to ~300,000 neighbours in Madison.

Start an alert