What should you do if you find a stray dog or cat?
You find a stray pet and you want to help, but then you hit a snag. Maybe they won’t come, maybe they don’t have tags or maybe they’re too hurt to handle. What do you do?
Follow this protocol to best help any stray dogs and cats you come across all while keeping yourself and your pet safe.
*Note: Stray vs. feral cats. Not all cats who are outdoors are lost. Observe the cat closely before proceeding. Feral cats, who live their whole lives apart from people, will not willingly approach or interact with you and should be left alone.
- Assess the situation. Remember: your safety always comes first! Some stray pets may be as sweet as can be, but many are frightened, hurt or even aggressive, lashing out if they feel cornered or pursued. If at any point the pet gives you any warning signs, call animal control and let the experts save the day.
- Corral the pet. Assuming the pet seems friendly, use a gentle voice and tasty treats to get them close enough to catch. Dogs can be secured with a leash. Cats often don’t like being held, so try luring them into a carrier or cardboard box. If capturing the pet is a no go, it’s animal control’s turn to try.
- Keep them separate from your pets. Stray pets may carry parasites or infectious diseases, and worse yet, they may pick a nasty fight with your pet, so carefully keep the two apart.
- Check tags. With luck, the pet will be wearing a collar with updated ID and the owner will answer your call right away.
- Scan for a microchip. If tags are missing, your next step is to visit a shelter or a veterinary hospital to scan the pet for a microchip. The trick is getting the stray pet into your car safely. If they seem too anxious, call animal control to come pick them up instead.
- Work with the shelter. When tags and microchip have failed, the pet’s best chance of being reunited with their owner is through the shelter. If you’ve taken a liking to your new friend, you can offer to house the pet while the shelter mounts a search.
- Join the search. Post fliers in your neighborhood and pictures on social media. You never know where a worried owner might think to look.
Be ready to win over shy pets with plenty of yummy and healthy treats. >>
