It happens to everyone. The gate accidentally gets left open, and your dog escapes. Or maybe a family moved and, sadly, left their dog behind. On the other hand, a street dog might have had a litter of puppies, increasing the stray dog population. So, what should you do if you see a stray dog in America? There are many ways you can help.
Stray Dog In America – Observe The Dog From Afar
Before you do anything, you’ll want to make sure it’s safe to be near the dog. For example, they might have been on the streets for a while. So, you don’t know where they’ve been.
For instance, does the dog look too skinny? Do they look sickly? Do they have an aggressive or nervous demeanor?
Use your best judgment on whether you can get close to the dog or not.
If You Can’t Get Close To The Dog
There are times when the dog is too nervous or aggressive. Maybe that’s part of their personality or maybe they’ve never been out on their own before.
You’ll need to keep this in mind when you see stray dogs out and about. You don’t want to accidentally cause them to be aggressive toward you. Also, you certainly don’t want to cause them to run farther away. Otherwise, it’ll be more difficult to their owners to catch them later.
So, if you can’t get near the dog, the best thing to do is one of two things.
Take Photos And Spread The Word
If the dog looks as though it’s in good health and is possibly wearing a collar but won’t let you near, you can try to take pictures of it from afar.
Then, you can go on social media or lost pet websites and post about it. For example, say where and when you found the dog and mention that you couldn’t get close.
Hopefully, someone who knows the dog will see it and respond. Also, the dog might already be on those websites. So, you can reply and say when and where you spotted the pup.
Stray Dog In America – Call The Authorities
No matter what shape the dog is in, it’s always best to get it off the streets as soon as possible.
Call your local authorities or the nearest animal shelter or animal control. Someone can come to pick up the dog and bring it to an animal shelter.
Then, you can go on online and mention that the dog is safe and sound. If the owners see it, they can go to the shelter to pick up their pup.
If You Can Get Near The Dog
Most family dogs are friendly. So, if they accidentally got out of the yard and you notice a pup is wearing a collar or even a leash, they might let you get close enough to them to check them out.
Keep in mind that not every dog is friendly. They might be aggressive or friendly around family but stand-offish with strangers. Also, if the dog is lost from their home, they could become nervous and run away further.
Always be careful. Don’t rush the dog and allow them to come closer to you and sniff you before you do anything else. However, if you can get the dog to go near you, then there are some things you can do.
Check For An ID Tag
If the pup is wearing a collar, you can check to see if an ID tag is attached to it. Then, call the number on the tag and tell the owners that you’ve found their dog.
Together, you can decide when and how the owner can come to get their dog.
Stray Dog In America – Carefully Capture The Dog
If the dog is friendly and looks as though they’re in good health, you can try capturing the dog yourself.
Be careful because you don’t want to stress out the dog or accidentally cause them to bite you.
If you feel safer, you can call the local authorities to get the dog. If you do find a stray dog in America there are lots of options out there.
However, if you can get the dog into your car, you can bring them to the nearest animal shelter or vet.
They can scan the dog for a microchip if they have one. If they do, then they can call the dog’s owners.
Otherwise, you can leave the pup at the shelter and go online to let people know a dog was found and is safe at the shelter.
What Else Could Happen To Stray Dogs?
Unfortunately, almost three million dogs are euthanized because the animal shelters are too full, and many stray dogs can’t find homes. So, it’s essential to do the above and save as many dogs as possible.
You now know what to do if you find a stray dog In America.
