If Your Dog Goes Missing in Sapporo: First Steps and Who to Contact
Contents
- First steps at a glance
- In the first minutes
- Who to contact in Sapporo
- Keep searching on your own
- Tell the people nearby
- Tags and microchips
- Before it happens
- A short checklist
- FAQ
- Who do I contact if my dog goes missing in Sapporo?
- Should I stop searching once I have reported it?
- Where else should I look or ask?
- Do the tags and a microchip help?
In short: if your dog goes missing in Sapporo, the City of Sapporo’s lost dog and cat page says to contact the Animal Care and Management Center (動物愛護管理センター) during business hours or register through its missing pet notification form, and to also report to the police (a police station or a koban). The same page says the center will tell you when information comes in, but that you should keep searching on your own, and that you should tell both the center and the police if your dog comes back. Japan’s Ministry of the Environment says to contact the health center, animal management center, police box, and animal hospital in the area where the pet went missing, and to use posters, flyers, and similar methods. Staying calm, searching close to home first, and telling neighbors are my own suggestions, not from those pages. For phone numbers, hours, and what you need to bring, check the official page for current details.
Even a careful owner can have a dog slip through a door or out of a collar. This post walks through what to do in the first hours, based on official pages, in plain English.
Please read this first: this post is general information. It is not about my own dog, and it is not expert advice. I am not a veterinarian, a dog trainer, or a government official, and the rules and procedures can change. Quotes below are my English translations of Japanese pages. Anything marked “my suggestion” is not from an official page. Please check the official pages listed at the end for current details, and for questions about your dog’s health, ask your vet.
First steps at a glance
| Step | What to do | Where it comes from |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Stay calm and search close to home first | My suggestion |
| 2 | Contact the Animal Care and Management Center, or use its missing pet notification form | City of Sapporo, lost dog and cat page |
| 3 | Report to the police (a police station or a koban) | City of Sapporo, lost dog and cat page |
| 4 | Contact the health center, animal management center, police box, and animal hospital in the area where the dog went missing | Ministry of the Environment |
| 5 | Search with posters, flyers, newspaper notices, or internet bulletin boards | Ministry of the Environment |
| 6 | Keep searching yourself, even after you have reported | City of Sapporo, lost dog and cat page |
| 7 | Tell neighbors and nearby people | My suggestion |
| 8 | When your dog is back, tell the center and the police | City of Sapporo, lost dog and cat page |
In the first minutes
Nothing in the official pages I read covers the first few minutes, so this part is my suggestion.
- Stay calm. A clear head helps you decide where to look and whom to call.
- Search close to home first. Check around the place where your dog was last seen, and call quietly.
- Have a recent photo ready. It helps when you ask neighbors or make a poster.
- Write down the time and place your dog was last seen, so you can tell the people you contact.
Who to contact in Sapporo
The City of Sapporo’s page “迷子犬・猫保護収容情報” (lost dog and cat protection and housing information) says that if your dog or cat goes missing, you should contact the Animal Care and Management Center during business hours, or register through the missing pet notification form. It also says: “Please also report to the police (a police station or a koban).”
| Contact | What the page says |
|---|---|
| Animal Care and Management Center (動物愛護管理センター) | Phone 011-736-6134, during business hours; the page gives weekdays, 8:45 to 17:15 |
| Missing pet notification form | An online form on the City of Sapporo page, as an alternative to calling |
| Police (a police station or a koban) | Report there as well |
The page also says to check its lost dog and cat information section, and to check ahead what you need to bring to take your dog back. It lists fees and items for returning a dog, including a collar with a leash or a pet carrier. I won’t repeat the amounts, because they can change, so check the official page for current details. My suggestion: if you have a carrier, it is a good idea to get a small dog used to it in advance; my post Carrier Training for a Small Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide explains how to get a small dog used to one.
Keep searching on your own
The City of Sapporo page says the center will contact you when information reaches it, but you should keep searching yourself. It also says that once your dog is back, you should tell both the center and the police.
The Ministry of the Environment’s “迷子にさせてしまったら” (if your pet goes missing) page, part of its sheltered animal search information site, gives these steps:
- Contact the health center, animal management center, police box, and animal hospital in the area where the pet went missing.
- Search by handing out posters and flyers, using newspaper notices, and using internet bulletin boards.
The page does not say what to write on a poster. My suggestion: a clear photo, the area where your dog was last seen, and a way to reach you.
Tell the people nearby
The official pages I read do not mention neighbors. My suggestion: tell neighbors, nearby shops, and people who walk in the area, and show them the photo. If you keep a short list of who you told and when, you can update them if your dog comes home.
Tags and microchips
Tags and microchips are what let someone identify your dog and reach you. Here is what the official pages say:
| Topic | What the page says | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Dog license tag and rabies shot tag | They must be attached to the dog’s collar or similar | City of Sapporo, dog registration and rabies shots page |
| Microchip registration in Sapporo | It is a separate procedure from dog registration under the rabies prevention law | City of Sapporo, dog registration and rabies shots page |
| ID tag or microchip | The Ministry says to attach them in daily life, so the owner can be identified if the pet goes missing | Ministry of the Environment |
| If a chipped pet is protected | Staff of the local government phone the owner | Ministry of the Environment, microchip registration Q&A |
| Changing your details | A change of name, address, or phone number must be reported to the designated registration body | Ministry of the Environment, microchip registration Q&A |
| Fitting and registration | The Q&A says fitting a chip to a home pet is an effort obligation, but once a chip is fitted, registration is mandatory | Ministry of the Environment, microchip registration Q&A |
If you have moved or changed your phone number, check that your registered details are current, since they are how you would be reached. For how to do it, see the official pages.
Before it happens
The Ministry’s pages suggest two habits for everyday life: locking up so pets cannot slip out of the house or garden, and checking that the collar and leash have not become loose. My suggestion: both are short checks you can repeat often. These posts have more ideas, though they are general suggestions rather than official guidance:
- Leash Walking Manners in a Busy City: Habits for Small Dogs covers collar and harness fit on busy streets.
- Carrier Training for a Small Dog: A Step-by-Step Guide covers getting your dog used to a carrier.
A short checklist
| If your dog goes missing | Why |
|---|---|
| Stay calm and search close to home first | My suggestion |
| Call the Animal Care and Management Center, or use its form | The City of Sapporo page names both |
| Report to the police | The City of Sapporo page says to do so as well |
| Contact the health center, animal management center, police box, and animal hospital in the area | The Ministry of the Environment recommends it |
| Make posters or flyers and use notices | The Ministry of the Environment recommends it |
| Keep searching yourself | The City of Sapporo page says to continue |
| Tell the center and the police when your dog is back | The City of Sapporo page says to do so |
| Check each official page for current details | Numbers, hours, and fees can change |
Contact the center and the police, search on your own, use posters or notices, and tell both offices when your dog is home. Keep the tags on the collar, keep your registered details current, and check official pages for the latest information.
FAQ
Who do I contact if my dog goes missing in Sapporo?
The City of Sapporo’s lost dog and cat page says to contact the Animal Care and Management Center during business hours or use its missing pet notification form, and to also report to the police (a police station or a koban). Check the official page for current details.
Should I stop searching once I have reported it?
No. The City of Sapporo page says the center will contact you when information arrives, but that you should keep searching on your own. It also says to tell the center and the police when your dog returns.
Where else should I look or ask?
The Ministry of the Environment says to contact the health center, animal management center, police box, and animal hospital in the area where the pet went missing, and to use posters, flyers, newspaper notices, or internet bulletin boards. Telling neighbors is my own suggestion.
Do the tags and a microchip help?
The City of Sapporo says the dog license tag and rabies shot tag must be attached to the collar or similar. The Ministry of the Environment says to attach an ID tag or microchip so the owner can be identified, and that a change in your name, address, or phone number must be reported to the registration body. For details of your own dog’s registration, check the official pages.
Sources checked: City of Sapporo, 迷子犬・猫保護収容情報 (lost dog and cat protection and housing information) (Japanese), City of Sapporo, 犬の登録と狂犬病予防注射 (dog registration and rabies shots) (Japanese), Ministry of the Environment, 迷子にさせてしまったら (if your pet goes missing) (Japanese), Ministry of the Environment, 犬と猫のマイクロチップ情報登録に関するQ&A (microchip registration Q&A) (Japanese). Checked on October 8, 2026. This post is general information, not veterinary or legal advice; phone numbers, hours, fees, and procedures can change, so please check the official pages. I could not confirm a Hokkaido Police page for lost pets, so this post does not describe police procedures beyond what the City of Sapporo and the Ministry say.
