Forsyth County Launches Interactive Map to Reunite Lost Pets With Owners

The moment a pet goes missing, the first 30 minutes matter most. The Forsyth County Sheriff's Office launched an interactive Found Pet map on its animal shelter website that lets residents see a photo, physical description, and the location where any animal in county custody was picked up, before ever leaving the house.

Using the map takes seconds. Each icon represents a found animal; clicking it opens a photo alongside key details about the animal and the area where it was recovered. County officials said the tool was designed to "speed up the reuniting of lost pets and their owners."

PARC, the Pet Adoption and Resource Center at 4065 County Way in Cumming, is the only open-admission shelter serving Forsyth County, accepting every animal regardless of breed, age, medical condition, or temperament. Pet owners can walk in to reclaim an animal any day of the week, Monday through Sunday, between 8:30 a.m. and 5 p.m.

When a pet goes missing after hours, emailing SOPARC@forsythco.com triggers the after-hours intake process. Residents should include the animal's breed, gender, coat color, spay/neuter status, distinguishing markings, and photos to help staff make a match. One firm boundary applies: PARC only accepts stray animals found within Forsyth County. Anyone who finds a pet in a neighboring county is directed to that county's own animal services department, because owners rarely search for a missing animal across jurisdictional lines.

The map pairs with Forsyth's established social media channels. The Facebook group "Lost and Found Animals of Forsyth County," Focus on Forsyth, and Nextdoor all serve as parallel search networks. The Humane Society of Forsyth County, a separate no-kill shelter that has operated since 1975, also uses the Petco Love Lost program, which applies facial recognition technology to match lost and found pet photos against a national database.

Animals that go unclaimed at PARC eventually become available for adoption at a standard $85 fee. Every adopted animal leaves spayed or neutered, microchipped, vaccinated, and tested. The center's on-site CARE Unit runs two surgery tables, a digital X-ray machine, and dental equipment, and the shelter maintains a trap, neuter, vaccinate, and return program for community cats.

The Found Pet map follows earlier digital deployments from the Sheriff's Office, including an interactive crime mapping platform and a resident-facing mobile app. PARC operates under the same organizational umbrella as Animal Control and Park Rangers, all managed by the Forsyth County Sheriff's Office.