Lost Dog?

Great! You found a lost dog, it won't come towards you, it's absolutely scared out of it's mind...

When addressing a scared, lost dog that is threatening you as you come closer, get on your knees and offer the dog a treat (that is, if you have one) the wrong thing to would be to approach the dog. Instead, let the dog approach you.

Most dog biting incidents happen because of people not being able to understand a dog. They try and warn us  but sometimes it just doesn't work. Always let the dog approach you and sniff you instead of chasing after it. Especially since some playful dogs will run away because they think you are playing chase with them.

If the dog does approach you, let it sniff you before you take it home or to a shelter. Try and keep a spare leash in your car or in your purse (tiny slip-on). If you meet up with a loose dog. Remember to be super careful if you are using your car to get it places, because it may have problems in the car.

After you have the dog in your car, you should go to the vet and have the dog looked at. Dogs are not feral and they do not belong in the wild. They need humans to support them and guide them. Living a few days in the wild may cause damage to the dog (dehydration, skin problems, hunger, ect.). Most lost dogs aren't in the wild long enough to have problems, if it looks like the dog is perfectly find to you, there is probably no need to take it to the vet. Just remember to bathe, feed, and water it right when you get home!

Now that the dog is healthy and taken care of, you need to decide what you are going to do with it. If it is wearing a collar with a tag it is important that you call the phone number or try to locate the address right away. But if it isn't you can consider taking it to a vet or shelter and seeing if it is micro chipped, but not all dogs are. If it isn't, take a picture of the dog and description then post it all around town. If someone recognizes the dog they may know who it belongs to and you can track down the owner. 

If you just can't find the owner and you have been searching and advertising all the time, you can either keep the dog or give it to the shelter. (Preferably a no kill shelter!)

Be careful when working with a lost or stray dog-- they can take time and patience getting use to you and the new surroundings. It is best not to have animals or kids around the dogs, in case something gives the dog a temptation to bite. If you don't feel comfortable working with a stray dog or taking one home, call a shelter and stay with the dog until they come and are able to pick it up.