Finding a Stray Dog: What Everyone Needs to Know

There are many stray dogs in the United States and all over the rest of the world. What do you do if you happen to find a stray dog? Well, there are several things in which this article will explain that every person needs to know prior to picking up a stray dog. Stray dogs are unpredictable most times. This is why you should NEVER trust any stray you find. You have no idea what this dog has been through. If the dog was abused, chances are you might get bitten if not careful. You should have a leash with you, in case you are able to put it around the dog's neck with no problem.

For dogs that are running around and will not let you catch them, you should not attempt to catch it. Call the humane society or animal control to report the stray dog. I know there are many people against calling animal control because of the fact they euthanize their rescued dogs after a certain amount of time, but you would be taking the dog off the streets and preventing it from being struck by a car and suffering or worse, preventing it from potentially biting someone. If the dog comes up to you and seems nice, you should take it to your veterinarian's clinic first to see if the dog has a microchip implanted. If he/she does, the clinic will notify the microchip company and the company will notify the owner that their dog has been found. Before you pick the dog up, you should be cautious because the dog may have ticks, fleas, intestinal parasites, etc. These are things you do not want to bring back home to your dog.

If you have a dog at home, you should keep your dog isolated from the stray. As stated before, strays are unpredictable and some may even have the Rabies virus. Your dog and the stray may not get along either and the last thing that you want is a stray dog attacking your dog. Also, when you are attempting to catch a stray that is near a busy road, do not approach until all cars have cleared. You may scare the dog into the busy road and he/she may be hit by a car. Just remember that not all stray dogs can be caught and saved. When you do catch a stray, take the advice from this article. Also, you should post signs up near the area in which the stray dog was found. If no one claims the dog, either you can take full responsibility and care for the dog or take it to a rescue shelter (granted that they are not already full).