PawAlarm

Lost dog in Oakland?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 Oakland

How PawAlarm helps in Oakland

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

≈ 570,000 neighbours within 6.2 mi
  • OllieReunited

    Ollie

    Found after 3 months and 1 week

  • MapleReunited

    Maple

    Found after 1 month and 3 weeks

  • SadieReunited

    Sadie

    Found after 1 week and 6 days

  • SableReunited

    Sable

    Found after 2 months and 3 days

  • BaluReunited

    Balu

    Found after 2 months and 1 week

OpenFreeMap © OpenMapTiles © OpenStreetMap contributors

Local help in Oakland

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

Animal control & found pets

24h emergency vets

Animal shelters2

National lost & found registries5

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

What your PawAlarm alert does in Oakland

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 Oakland

  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 along Glen Echo Creek and the paths by Lake Merritt, with Lakeside Park about 0.4 miles away and Jean Sweeney Open Space Park roughly 1.7 miles off.

  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 15 vets within about 3 miles and the local police straight away, and name the nearest park when you call.

  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 Dimond Canyon Park, about 3 miles away, and Middle Harbor Shoreline Park, roughly 2.8 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 Emeryville, about 2.1 miles north-west, Alameda, about 2.4 miles south, and East Oakland, roughly 2.4 miles south-east, in the alert, since a dog may already have reached them.

Frequently asked questions

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

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 Oakland, that's about 37,000 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 Oakland?

Alerts in Oakland start from $49. The price follows how far your alert reaches around the last-seen spot in Oakland: 1 mi reaches about 37,000 people for $88, 1.8 mi reaches about 110,000 people for $300, and 3 mi reaches about 260,000 people for $790. You see the exact price before you pay, and there is no subscription.

Can I use PawAlarm in Oakland 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 Oakland – a one-off payment, no subscription.

Is there another animal shelter near Oakland?

For Oakland, we list East Bay SPCA. Address: 8323 Baldwin St, Oakland, CA 94621. Phone: (510) 569-0702. Call before you go and ask about animals brought in recently.

How much is a dog license in Oakland, California?

Oakland licenses dogs through DocuPet. A one-year license is $17 for a spayed or neutered dog and $113 for an unaltered dog; three-year licenses are $45 and $255, and people 60+ get discounts (for example $12.75 for a one-year altered license). You need a current rabies certificate and the dog's microchip number, plus proof of spay/neuter for the lower rate. An expired license carries a $15.75 penalty.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

How long does Oakland Animal Services hold a stray pet?

Oakland Animal Services holds stray animals for a minimum of 72 hours so families can find them. During that time staff upload photos, check for identification and try to contact possible owners. After the hold expires, unclaimed animals may move toward adoption, so owners should come to the shelter at 1101 29th Ave as soon as possible.

Source · checked Oct 6, 2026

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

Found animals in Oakland are handled by Oakland Animal Services. Address: 1101 29th Ave, Oakland, CA 94601. Phone: (510) 535-5602. You can also report the find for free on PawAlarm.

More questions about lost dogs →

Pricing

Searching in Oakland: 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 37,000 people within 1 mi of Oakland – 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

Oakland: ≈ 37,000 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 ~570,000 neighbours in Oakland.

Start an alert