Lost and found pets in Gwinnett County, GA
If your dog or cat went missing anywhere in Gwinnett County, including Lawrenceville, Duluth, Snellville, Suwanee and Buford, this page has the shelter, the phone numbers and the order to do things in. Everything here comes from the county’s own published information.
Short answer: lost and found pets in Gwinnett County go to Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center), 884 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, 770-339-3200. Strays without ID are held for 3 days, then may be offered for adoption.
Do these today
- Contact Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center). There is no online form. Call 770-339-3200 with a description of your pet and the address where they were last seen.
- Check the shelter in person, often. With a 3-day hold for some strays, a pet that comes in on a Friday can be eligible for adoption early the next week. Go every other day at minimum and walk the kennels yourself. Staff may not match your description to the animal in front of them.
- Watch the online list daily. Gwinnett shelter animal search. Online listings can lag behind intake by a day or more.
- Search close to home first. In a national ASPCA-backed survey, about half of recovered dogs were found by searching the neighborhood, and most recovered cats came home on their own or were found nearby. Walk your streets, look under decks and in garages, and talk to everyone you pass.
- Post everywhere free. File a report on Petco Love Lost (many metro shelters photo-match against it), post on Nextdoor, and share in local lost-pet Facebook groups.
- Get the word to neighbors who aren’t looking. Flyers at eye level on main roads near Lawrenceville still work. A targeted neighborhood alert reaches the people who never check lost-pet groups.
Gwinnett County shelter and animal control
| Agency | Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center) |
|---|---|
| Address | 884 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045 |
| Phone | 770-339-3200 Email: AnimalWelfare@GwinnettCounty.com |
| Stray hold | Strays without ID are held for 3 days, then may be offered for adoption. |
| Reporting | There is no online form. Call 770-339-3200 with a description of your pet and the address where they were last seen. |
| Animals in care | Gwinnett shelter animal search |
| Official page | Gwinnett lost and found pets |
Good to know in Gwinnett County
- The county updates its available-animals list throughout the day, so check more than once.
- Reclaim fees rise with repeat impounds ($50, then $100, then $200). The shelter is closed Sundays.
Found a pet in Gwinnett County?
Check for a tag, then take the animal to any vet or to Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center) to scan for a microchip. Scanning is free. Report the animal to the county at 770-339-3200, post a found pet report, and add it to Petco Love Lost. Before you hand a pet over, ask the person to describe something you left out of your post. Our guide to lost pet scams covers the common tricks.
Common questions
Where do I report a lost dog or cat in Gwinnett County, GA?
Report it to Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center) at 884 Winder Highway, Lawrenceville, GA 30045, phone 770-339-3200. There is no online form. Call 770-339-3200 with a description of your pet and the address where they were last seen.
How long does Gwinnett County hold stray pets?
Strays without ID are held for 3 days, then may be offered for adoption.
Where can I see found or impounded pets in Gwinnett County?
Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center) lists animals in its care online (Gwinnett shelter animal search). Online listings can lag behind intake, so also visit the shelter in person.
I found a dog in Lawrenceville. What should I do?
Check for a tag, then have any vet or the shelter scan for a microchip (it is free). Report the dog to Gwinnett County Animal Welfare (Bill Atkinson Animal Welfare Center) at 770-339-3200 and post a found report on Petco Love Lost and Nextdoor with a clear photo. Ask anyone who claims the dog to describe a detail you left out of the post, or show vet records or photos, before you hand it over.
Which cities does this page cover?
Lawrenceville, Duluth, Snellville, Suwanee, Buford, Lilburn, Norcross, Peachtree Corners, Sugar Hill, Dacula and Grayson. Strays are handled by the county where the animal was found, not where the owner lives, so if your pet went missing near a county line, check the neighboring county shelter too.
Sources
- gwinnettcounty.com/government/departments/community-services/animal-welfare/animal-shelter/lost-pets
Details checked against official county and shelter websites in October 2026. Hours and policies change. If something here is out of date, email help@findapaw.com and we will fix it. See our editorial policy.
Find a Paw