• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Dog's Best Life

Dog's Best Life

The information you need to keep your dog happy, healthy, playful and loyal.

  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

5 things you need to do before rescuing a stray dog

Posted April 20, 2019

 
Stray dog stands on busy street
Before you decide to keep a stray dog, make every effort to find the dog’s owner. Start by checking to see if the dog has a microchip.

Have you recently found a stray dog on the street that you want to help? They look so cute and lonely — but before you decide to bring that dog you home, you need to take some steps to make sure you both stay safe and happy.

Just picking up a stray dog from the side of the road is nice, but it’s not responsible. When you take in a stray, you need to be willing to provide any needed medical attention and care. You also must try to find the dog’s owner before getting too attached.

Here are the steps you should take:

Approach with care

Stray dogs can be quite emotional, and for your own safety, you should remain calm and keep your distance until you figure out whether the dog is friendly. Once you do that, walk toward the dog slowly. Try to corner the dog or lure them with food so that you can take the dog to your vehicle.  

Have some way to confine the dog or secure them in your car. The pup may try to escape, so you need to be sure you can drive safely.

Home or shelter?

If you decide to bring the pup home, you still need to try to find the dog’s owner.  You don’t want to inadvertently steal someone’s beloved pet.

If the dog doesn’t have any a tag or any contact information for its owner, call animal control and area shelters. Someone may have reported the dog missing. You also may need to bring the dog somewhere officials can scan it for a microchip.

Take the dog to the vet if they are bleeding or showing any signs of injury or illness.

Use social media

No matter how cute the pup is, you need to try to find the owner. If you can’t find the owner through official channels, social media may help.

Post pictures of the dog and share information about the location where you found it on Facebook, Instagram and neighborhood sites like NextDoor.

Include information about how to contact you. If you don’t want to post your phone number, share an email address.

Check your neighborhood for missing dog posters and put up some found dog ones, too. It’s possible the dog’s owner isn’t on social media.

Keep the dog? 

Continue your search for the dog’s owner for at least a month.

It’s possible the dog’s owners are traveling, and maybe neither they nor the pet sitter has seen your messages.

If you hit the 30-day mark without finding the owner and you decide you want to keep the dog, start by taking the dog to the vet for a thorough examination and any needed vaccinations.

This appointment also provides another chance to check whether the dog has a microchip that can identify the owner. If the dog doesn’t have a chip, consider getting one implanted.

If you rent, be sure your landlord will allow you to keep a dog. Then go online and register the dog as your own.

Be patient with the dog. They’ve gone through significant trauma and will need time to adjust. Imagine how scared they are in a strange place, especially if they experienced any abuse while living on the streets.

Neuter your pet

You just saved one stray dog, so don’t let that dog create any more puppies

If the dog hasn’t been spayed or neutered, schedule an appointment with your vet.

Jaimy HammittJaimy Hammitt is a pet writer at GumEssays.com and LuckyAssignments.com. She shares her advice to help everyone live their best life with their pets. Jaimy is dedicated to saving stray dogs and cats and finding them good homes. She also writes for Researchpapersuk.com blog.

Related Posts

  • lost dog scam
    Help your lost dog find his way home

    The best way to help your lost dog find his…

  • Beagle enjoys sticking head out the car window. Dog travel safety tips: Whether you're on a quick outing across town or a long road trip, your pet should always be restrained while you're behind the wheel.
    3 dog travel safety tips

    Dog travel safety tips: Whether you're on a quick outing…

  • Winter dog-walking safety tips: Woman walks dog on leash on street
    7 winter dog-walking safety tips

    Winter dog-walking safety tips: Keep walks short, protect your dog's…

  • dog camping safety guide
    Dog camping safety guide: Get ready for your next trip

    Use our dog camping safety guide to bring everything you'll…

Share this post:

Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest Share on Email Share on Reddit

Filed Under: Adoption, Dog Health, Home Page Tagged With: Dog safety

« Previous Post
Next Post »

Primary Sidebar

Follow Us

Categories

  • Adoption
  • Dog Breeds
  • Dog Facts
  • Dog Fun
  • Dog Grooming
  • Dog Health
  • Dog Inspirations
  • Dog Training
  • Dog Travel
  • Holidays
  • Home Page
  • Puppies
  • Top Stories

Featured Posts

  • Tricolor Australian shepherd in front of white background. Take steps to stop dog pawing.

    Canine body language: What’s your dog saying with his paws?

  • The most common warning signs to watch for in your puppy's behaviors include snarling, growling, mounting, snapping, nipping, lip curling, lunging, dominance, challenging stance, dead-eye stare, aggressive barking, possessiveness, and of course, biting!

    Take action immediately when you spot aggressive puppy warning signs

  • Cute corgi puppy wrapped in a blanket. Talk with your vet about starting your dog on medication to protect him from parasites including flea and tick prevention, as well as heartworm prevention.

    Puppy training 101: 10 tips to prepare your dog for success

Tags

Guard dog Emotional support dogs Dog gifts Barking Rescue dog Canine autism Dog nails Neutering and spaying Non-shedding breeds Adopt a dog after a breakup Cavalier King Charles spaniel Poodle Christmas Dog bath Chewing Fourth of July Pet parents Dog photos Paw Working dogs Canine diabetes Independent dog breeds Allergies Moving Pomeranian Golden retriever Dog toys Maltese Rottweiler Bulldog

Footer

Quick Links

  • Home
  • Top Stories
  • Blog
  • What We Do
  • About Us
  • Contact Us

Recent Posts

  • 5 reasons why maintaining your pet’s dental health is important
    Poor dental health can lead to tooth loss, heart disease, and other health problems. Provide proper dental care for your dog. […]
  • 7 famous dogs that shaped the course of history
    Read more to find out how seven famous dogs helped shape human history. Famous dogs include Peritas, Soter, Old Drum, and Pavlov's dog. […]
  • Discover 10 interesting facts about dog behavior
    Here are ten facts about dog behavior that may help you understand your pet more and wonder less about sometimes slightly peculiar habits. […]
  • 5 common dachshund health problems and how to treat them
    Dachshund health problems include hip and elbow dysplasia, invertebrate disc disease, obesity, allergies and asthma. […]

Get Our Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.

© Copyright 2022 Dog's Best Life online magazine · All Rights Reserved · Privacy
Get Our Free Monthly Newsletter

Get more news to help keep your dog healthy delivered right to your inbox. Sign up for DogsBestLife.com's monthly newsletter.