Dover, DE (August 13, 2026) – The Delaware Division of Public Health (DPH) Office of Animal Welfare (OAW) is announcing a major upgrade to the state’s lost and found pet reporting system through a new partnership with Petco Love Lost. The free nationwide database for lost and found pets will become the state’s official lost and found pet reporting platform, marking a major step forward in helping lost pets return home quickly. Delaware is now the first state in the U.S. to utilize Petco Love Lost statewide to reunite pets with the families that love them.
Petco Love, a national nonprofit organization leading change for pets, offers Petco Love Lost to pet parents, finders of lost pets, and thousands of animal shelter partners across the country to help reunite lost pets with their families quickly and at no cost. The largest national lost-and-found pet database is the only tool that uses AI photo-matching technology to reunite lost pets by comparing images of lost pets with those of found pets. The critical resource allows anyone who has lost or found a pet to upload a photo and instantly search for possible matches in nearby shelters or in their community. Petco Love Lost has reunited more than 250,000 lost pets with their families.
In 2016, DPH’s Delaware Animal Services (DAS) launched a statewide Lost and Found Pet Registry, a first-of-its-kind tool for animal shelters and the public. This replaced a patchwork of websites and social media pages as a one-stop platform aimed at getting pets home as quickly as possible throughout the state. Delaware currently requires brick-and-mortar animal shelters to post lost pets who come into their care to the registry within 24 hours of the pet arriving. Ten years since that first registry was implemented, OAW is building on that success by transitioning to the nationwide platform, Petco Love Lost, strengthening lost pet reunification efforts across the state, and creating an inspiring model for other states.
This move supports Delaware’s existing lost and found requirements while expanding the tools available to shelters and pet lovers in the community – with one centralized place – casting a wider net for pet parents in Delaware looking for their lost pet. If a pet is lost or found outside Delaware state lines, this move to Petco Love Lost supports the opportunity to reunite them more efficiently. The extensive national database can help locate displaced pets who may unintentionally end up in different counties or states, including during natural disasters.
“Reuniting lost pets with their families as quickly as possible is one of the most important parts of animal welfare work,” said Christina Motoyoshi, OAW executive director. “By moving to Petco Love Lost, Delaware is modernizing the way lost and found pets are reported and identified while giving shelters and residents access to innovative tools that improve reunification efforts statewide.”
“This move by the state of Delaware marks a significant milestone for reuniting lost pets, as we know that one in three pets goes missing in their lifetime, an estimated 10 million pets each year,” said Chelsea Staley, Petco Love President. “We’re thrilled that Delaware is further prioritizing lost pet reunification. This transition to reporting through Petco Love Lost will benefit shelters and pet families across the state, giving more families a better chance of finding their pets quickly while keeping pets out of shelters and at home with those who love them.”
Delaware residents who have lost or found a pet are encouraged to use Petco Love Lost to file a lost or found pet report, upload photos, and search possible matches. Visit Petco Love Lost or animalservices.delaware.gov. Pet parents can also upload their pet’s photos to Petco Love Lost now, while they’re safe at home. That way, if they ever go missing, they can create a lost pet report in seconds, saving precious time when it matters the most.
About the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare
The Delaware Office of Animal Welfare works to protect the health, safety, and welfare of animals and people across the state through enforcement, shelter oversight, public education, and community-based animal services.
About Petco Love
Petco Love is a life-changing nonprofit organization that makes communities and pet families closer, stronger, and healthier. Since 1999, we’ve empowered more than 4,000 animal welfare partners to drive lifesaving change alongside us – investing nearly $441 million in adoption and other lifesaving efforts. We’ve helped find loving homes for more than 7.1 million pets in partnership with Petco and organizations nationwide. Our love for pets drives us to lead with innovation, creating Petco Love Lost to reunite lost pets. Visit Petco Love Lost and follow on Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn, and https://www.tiktok.com/@petco.love.