The Big Bear Lake Animal Shelter, operated by San Bernardino County, serves as the animal control facility for all unincorporated areas of San Bernardino County except the West End communities. If you’ve lost a dog in the Inland Empire region, this is where you’d want to check first—the shelter takes in strays and lost pets with the goal of reuniting them with their owners.

Beyond lost and found services, the shelter handles adoptions if you’re looking to give a dog a home. They also offer licensing and microchipping, which are genuinely useful services if you want to protect your own dog. Microchipping in particular is worth doing before you travel or spend time in unfamiliar areas around Big Bear Lake, since it’s your best chance of being reunited with your dog if they get away from you.

The shelter’s staff works with whatever animals come through the doors, and they maintain records of incoming pets. If your dog goes missing while you’re in the area, calling the shelter directly should be one of your first steps. They can tell you if your dog has been brought in and what the process is for picking them up. The staff can also answer questions about local licensing requirements if you’re planning an extended stay in the region.

Their website has information about adoption procedures and other services, so you can get a sense of what they offer before you need them. Having the shelter’s contact information saved in your phone before you arrive in Big Bear Lake is smart planning—it takes the stress out of figuring out who to call if something goes wrong. The shelter is straightforward about what it does: provide animal control and shelter services for the community, which means it’s a reliable resource if you run into any issues with your dog while you’re in the area.