Have you ever spotted a wandering dog with no owner in sight?
My wife and I have found numerous dogs in our local area and experienced the joy of returning them to their owners, here are a few of our hints and tips to ensure you are prepared when you find a lost or stray animal;
1/ Keep your eyes open for lost / stray dogs
We often see lost dogs walking around local neighborhoods and nobody pays any attention, we think that the average homeowner assumes that when they see a loose dog that it will find its own way home, or perhaps they are afraid to approach the dog. Whenever I spot a loose dog I always investigate, the first step is to determine whether their owner is nearby, they may just be walking the dog off the leash. The next step is to see whether the dog has a collar with possible contact information.
2/ Always keep a slip leash and some dog treats in your vehicle
Keeping a cheap slip leash in your vehicle will mean you can confidently walk up to a lost or stray dog and quickly get them on a leash.
Lost dogs are often very scared and will likely be hesitant to approach strangers, stay calm and approach the dog slowly speaking in a low reassuring voice. If you have a dog treat handy you can offer this. Eventually most dogs will give in and allow you to approach. Let the dog sniff your hand first, this is a major step in giving the animal confidence that you are not trying to hurt it.
WARNING: If the dog appears very aggressive and exhibits behavior such as growling, showing of teeth etc, do not approach the animal. Call your local animal shelter or animal control office and advise them that you have found a stray dog.
3/ Call the Owner First
If the dog has a collar, it will usually have a tag with contact information. Try calling the owner several times. Leave a message with your contact details. Often a dog owner will be at work or perhaps out looking for the animal so they may not be able to answer the phone or get your message right away.
4/ Have a Local Veterinary Office Phone Number Handy
Call your local Vet’s office and describe the animal to them, dog owners often post a missing poster at local Vet’s offices and they may have extra contact details available. If the animal has a vaccination tag it will often list the Veterinary office phone number, call this number and state that you have found a dog that receives treatment at their office and that you are trying to contact the owners. The Vet’s office may even let you drop off the dog so that they can hold it while waiting for the owner to become available.
5/ If Possible Load up the Animal in your Vehicle and Drive Around the Neighborhood
More often than not there will be Lost or Missing posters on trees / lamp posts / sign posts in the vicinity of where you found the dog. See if you can find any posters that fit the description of the dog. If you are lucky enough to find a poster, try calling the phone numbers provided. The owner will often have a cell phone number listed on a Lost / Missing poster.
6/ Take a Photo of the Dog With Your Camera Phone
This photo can prove very useful in the next hour or so. Also, if you find that you cannot catch the dog, try to get a photo so that you can at least try to match the dog with missing / lost posters.
This is a cell phone photo we took of a stray that we found, the owner was overjoyed when she was returned.
7/ Play the Waiting Game
As most lost dogs are due to dogs getting free from a back yard by digging etc. the owner is likely to be at work and unavailable until after work hours. If you are feeling brave you can take the dog home and place in a suitably sized crate whilst you wait for a return phone call from the owner. Taking a lost dog home is obviously a very dedicated move and you may find you get very attached to a lost dog but be strong, hopefully the rightful owner will be in contact soon.
8/ Sign Up as a Pet Rescuer with Home Again
You can sign up with Home Again to receive emails with details of lost pets in your area;
https://www.homeagain.com/homeagain/petRescuerSignup.do
The feeling of re-uniting a lost dog with its owners is extremely rewarding and my wife and I have never accepted any monetary rewards from an owner. It is enough to see the look on the owners faces when they finally get their pet back. We just hope that if one of our babies escaped that someone will do the same.
If you lose or find a dog or any other pet, you can post for free on our lost and found forum (just register and post your description etc);