The County of San Diego Department of Animal Services’ South Shelter in Bonita handles the day-to-day work of reuniting lost dogs with their owners across the unincorporated areas of San Diego County. Located on Sweetwater Road, this is the facility you’ll visit if your dog goes missing in the area or if you’ve found a stray that needs to be scanned for a microchip and checked against their database of reported lost animals.

Beyond lost dog services, the shelter manages dog licensing for the county, which is required and something worth handling sooner rather than later if you’re new to the area. They also handle animal control calls and complaints, so they’re involved in the broader animal welfare picture for the region. The staff here understands that losing a dog is stressful, and they work to make the process of searching and potentially recovering your animal as straightforward as possible.

If you live in Bonita or in one of the other unincorporated parts of San Diego County, this South Shelter is your primary resource for these services. The facility is equipped to hold animals for a set period while owners search and inquiries come in, which is why checking here quickly if your dog is missing is important. They can also advise you on next steps if you’ve found a dog that doesn’t belong to you—microchip scanning is part of their intake process.

You can reach them directly for specific questions about their hours, policies on how long they hold animals, or to report a lost or found dog. Their website has additional details about services and how to search their online database of animals currently at the facility, which is worth checking if you’re looking for a dog that went missing recently.