It’s all too common – dogs running loose on the streets; cold, hungry and at risk of being hit by a car or killed by the harsh elements. I bet most of us have seen stray dogs at one time or another. I recently found a purebred Maltese running through my neighborhood. Within 24 hours I found his owner, but these stories don’t always have a happy ending. So what should you do if you find a stray dog?
- Check for a microchip: This is the FIRST thing you want to do. Veterinarians and shelters will scan for a microchip at no cost. This is the best bet for finding the dog’s owner. Take the dog to get scanned, and hopefully the dog has a microchip with updated contact information! Of course if the dog has a collar, call the person listed on the tag.
- Post fliers: Post fliers of a “found” dog in your neighborhood. Put a photo on it but don’t put too much information. You don’t want someone coming forward to claim the dog who isn’t the owner. Post the fliers where they are easily seen like community mailboxes and light poles. Make sure you include your phone number on the flier. You can also post fliers at local pet stores, grocery stores and shelters.
- Post in Facebook groups: A majority of people have Facebook and a majority of people who lose their pets will be desperate to get them back. Find local pet lost & found pages and groups in your area on Facebook. You’d be surprised how many pets are reunited with their owners this way.
- Post on lost & found pet websites: There are many websites (typically they are local, so Google them for your area) that you can post the dog’s information on. You can include many specifics and often times the information is shared with other lost pet websites.
- Post on Craigslist: Be careful with this one – many dogs get “adopted” from Craigslist and end up as bait dogs. Post very limited information and don’t post photos. If someone thinks it’s their dog, have them send you pictures of the dog so you can verify.
- Give the dog food and water: You don’t know how long the dog has been on the street. Give him/her some food and fresh water.
- Keep them separated from your animals: If you don’t know whether the dog is sick or not, or if your dog is sick, keep them separated. Diseases and viruses can easily be spread from dog to dog.
- Take them to a vet: If the dog seems extremely ill or is injured, immediately take them to a veterinarian. Emergency vets are open 24/7.
- Take them to a shelter: If for some reason you can’t bring the dog home, ask a friend to possibly take them in while you try to find the owner. If that’s not possible, take the dog to your nearest shelter or rescue that accepts dogs.
Here is the stray dog we found. I had to keep him separated from my other dogs because my dogs were recovering from kennel cough and I didn’t want the Maltese to get sick. We found his owner within 24 hours, thanks to the fliers I posted!
Be cautious when posting about a dog and giving information to people. Many dogs are picked up and used as bait dogs, or worse. Some people might also be wanting a free dog. Have the owner verify with specific markings, coloration, size, etc. You will also want them to send you photos.
During the winter months especially, please open your home and heart if you find a stray dog. They may freeze or die without our help!
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