Kern County Animal Services has announced a groundbreaking partnership with DocuPet, a leading provider of modern pet registration and lost pet recovery services, to help reunite lost pets with their families faster than ever before. This collaboration will bring DocuPet’s HomeSafe® 24/7 lost pet service and the National Pet Record Search (NPRS) to our community—helping prevent shelter overcrowding, reducing intake costs, and giving pet owners a reliable way to bring their companions home.
Every year, millions of pets go missing across North America. National statistics show that only 18–20% of lost dogs and fewer than 4% of cats entering shelters are ever reunited with their owners. The challenge isn’t a lack of care—it’s a lack of connection. Fragmented systems, outdated technology, and limited records make it difficult for shelters to identify and return lost pets quickly.
For Kern County Animal Services, the impact of these gaps is felt daily:
•Overcrowded kennels and limited resources•Increased stress on staff and animals alike
•Unnecessary intake costs for pets that could go home immediately
Through this partnership, every registered pet in our community will receive a free, custom ID tag linked to their secure, online pet profile. If a pet goes missing, owners can submit a Lost Pet Report and get immediate service from DocuPet’s HomeSafe® team. Real-time alerts are sent to local residents and shelters. When a community member or animal control officer finds a lost pet, they can enter the unique tag ID on DocuPet’s website or call the HomeSafe® team directly. HomeSafe® will guide the successful reunification, offering live support 24/7, 365 days a year. This means faster reunifications and fewer pets entering shelters.
DocuPet also empowers shelters with access to the National Animal Shelter Network, providing an advanced, national search tool to identify pets using their unique ID codes, microchip data, breed, physical descriptions, and even special markings. With access to cross-jurisdictional records, shelter teams can quickly locate owners and drastically reduce the length of stay for lost pets.
“Lost pets shouldn’t have to rely on luck to make it back home,” said Nick Cullen, Director of Kern County Animal Services. “With DocuPet’s technology, we can move from guesswork to certainty, and from days or weeks of searching (that may never end), to same day reunifications. This partnership means fewer animals in our shelter, more families made whole, and more resources available for pets truly in need.”
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