Dallas to distribute ID-tags to help owners find lost pets and reduce pressure on city shelters
Dallas Animal Services is partnering with the animal welfare nonprofit Best Friends Animal Society on a six-month pilot program that uses digital identification technology to help reunite lost pets with their owners before they enter the city’s shelter system.
The program will distribute 2,000 free PetHub ID tags in neighborhoods that experience the highest number of stray animal reports. Each tag contains a unique QR code that allows residents, animal services officers or shelter staff to quickly access contact information and connect found pets with their owners.
In a press release, DAS Director Paul Ramon said providing pet owners with practical identification tools can help reduce pressure on city shelters, while improving outcomes for animals. Last year, the department was forced to suspend its owner surrender program for three weeks due to overcapacity. In June, DAS reported city shelters had reached overcapacity again after several animal cruelty seizures.
“By equipping residents with resources and empowering communities to assist with reunification efforts, we can help keep more pets with their families and reduce the number of animals entering the shelter,” Ramon said in the release.
Nationwide, lost pets account for a significant share of shelter intake, often because they lack visible identification or owners cannot be contacted. According to The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, 2.8 million dogs and 3 million cats entered U. S. shelters and rescues in 2025.
Dallas’ new initiative also includes free dog collars, lost-pet flyers and educational resources to encourage community members to participate in local reunification efforts.
“Communities play a vital role in helping lost pets get home,” Sophia Proler, director of Best Friends Animal Society’s South Central Region, said in the release.
