Lost & Found
Lost a pet, or found one?
Two paths, start below.
Whether you are missing a pet or have a stray in your yard right now, the fastest path runs through 853 Woods Ln., Centralia, open seven days a week, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
I lost my pet in Marion County. What should I do first?
Come to the shelter in person, as soon as you can, at 853 Woods Ln., Centralia, IL 62801. Strays are held for a limited time, and a photo posted online may not show an animal that is already here — mixed-breed descriptions rarely match. Walking through in person is the single most reliable way to find your pet.
Do this first
Visiting in person beats checking photos online. Strays are held for a limited time, and mixed-breed descriptions rarely match well enough to be certain from a picture. Go look with your own eyes.
Visit the shelter in person
853 Woods Ln., Centralia, IL 62801. Open every day, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Bring a photo of your pet and something that proves the animal is yours — vet records, a rabies tag number, or a microchip number.
Keep checking back, every day
Animals arrive daily. A pet that was not here this morning may be here tomorrow. Check in person or by email (wpurcell@marionco.illinois.gov) until your pet is found.
Watch the Facebook page as a supplement
Newly found animals are frequently posted to facebook.com/MCACofIL. Use it alongside visiting in person — never as a replacement, since not every animal here has been posted online yet.
Why can't I just check photos of found pets online instead of visiting?
Because online photos and descriptions are not a substitute for an in-person walkthrough. Strays are held for a limited time, lighting and angles can make one dog look like another, and mixed-breed descriptions rarely match well enough to be certain. Use the Facebook page as a supplement, never as a replacement for visiting.
- Address
- 853 Woods Ln., Centralia, IL 62801
- Hours
- Seven days a week, 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM
- Bring with you
- A photo of your pet, plus vet records, a rabies tag number, or a microchip number
I found a stray animal in Marion County. What should I do?
If you can safely contain the animal, bring it to the shelter at 853 Woods Ln., Centralia, during open hours, seven days a week, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Note exactly where you found it — the location is often what reunites a pet with its owner.
Note the exact location
Write down or drop a pin on the specific street, intersection, or landmark where you found the animal, before you bring it in. Owners searching for a missing pet usually start their search near where it was last seen.
Note exactly where you found the animal
The nearest address, intersection, or landmark. This detail is often what reunites a pet with its owner.
If you can safely contain it, bring it in
853 Woods Ln., Centralia, IL 62801, during open hours — seven days a week, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM. If containing the animal is not safe, do not attempt it.
Tell the shelter where it was found
Pass along the exact location when you arrive or by email at wpurcell@marionco.illinois.gov, so it can be matched against reports from owners searching nearby.
Why does the exact location matter when I find a stray?
Because owners searching for a missing pet usually start near where it was last seen. The specific street, intersection, or landmark where an animal was found is often the detail that reunites it with its owner, so note it before you bring the animal in.
Where and when do I go?
Marion County Animal Control is open seven days a week, 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM, at 853 Woods Ln., Centralia, IL 62801, serving Centralia, Salem, and rural Marion County.
- Address
- 853 Woods Ln.
Centralia, IL 62801 - Hours
- Seven days a week
8:00 AM – 4:00 PM - Administrator
- Whitney Purcell
Also adoptable
Animals not claimed by an owner may become available for adoption. See current listings on the adoption page or on Petfinder.