Lost pets

Dog with a sad expression

Losing a pet can be a very stressful time, and we want to help reunite you with your animal, find tips and how we can help here.

Wat Djerring Animal Facility

Previously known as the Epping Animal Welfare Facility, the Wat Djerring Animal Facility is the animal pound for Darebin. It was built by Darebin City Council in partnership with the Cities of Whittlesea and Merri-bek.

The facility also cares for injured or sick animals and provides vaccination and de-sexing for unclaimed animals so they can be adopted.

Wat Djerring Animal Facility (map)
20 Companion Place, Epping
Phone: 03 8401 6200

Opening Hours

  • Monday: 10am–4pm
  • Tuesday: 12pm–6.30pm
  • Wednesday: 10am–4pm
  • Thursday: 12pm–6.30pm
  • Friday: 10am–4pm
  • Saturday: 11am–3pm
  • Closed Sundays and public holidays 

For more information regarding opening hours and how to reclaim your pet or view the animals for adoption, view our Frequently Asked Questions(PDF, 156KB).

Find your lost pet

If you can't find your pet, there are a few things you can do. Search the database of animals that are currently at the Wat Djerring Animal Facility.

Note: change the "Date your pet was lost" to an earlier date on the search form to search for pets that arrived before today's date.

Search pets at the Wat Djerring Animal Facility

Visit the Darebin Lost Pets Facebook page

Tips on looking for a lost pet

  • Check hiding places in your yard and garage.
  • Ask your neighbours (and several houses each side of yours) to check their yards and garages.
  • Call local vet clinics and the local pound to lodge a lost report. Ensure you include as much detail regarding your pet and current contact details for yourself.
  • Contact the company your pet’s microchip is registered with to ensure your contact details are up to date, and to change your pet’s status to missing. If you are unsure what company your pet’s microchip is registered with, but know what their microchip number is, visit www.petaddress.com.au. Your vet may have the microchip number on record if you cannot find it.
  • If you have access to social media such as Facebook, consider joining Darebin Lost Animals or other lost animal pages relevant to your area. You can post a photo and a description of your lost pet on the visitor’s post page so that followers and visitors to the page can assist you with your search.
  • If you live close to a neighbouring Council, check which pound they use as your pet may be taken to another Council’s pound if found.

Reporting a found animal

If you have found a stray pet, contact us on 03 8470 8888 or outside of business hours call our after-hours service on 03 8470 8889.

A request can be made for an animal collections officer to collect the animal, who can check the animal for identification and attempt to reunite it with its owner.

You can take the animal directly to the Wat Djerring Animal Facility.

After-hours service

We have a 24/7 emergency collection service, that deals with animal management emergencies including dog attacks, injured animals and any other emergency situations.

Found animals reported after 7pm are not an emergency and will be collected by us during business hours.

If you are not able to hold the animal, you can take it to either:

If you are not able to assist with transport, report this when you are speaking with the after-hour’s service.

Collected animals are transported to our holding facility while all efforts are made to return registered lost animals avoiding the need to go the pound. This process is in line with Darebin’s Domestic Animal Management Plan(PDF, 3MB).

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