What to Do When You Find a Lost Dog

We’ve all seen them, a sad and frightened dog walking down the street without any human supervision. They wander aimlessly and appear to know they’re lost. As we pass by, we wonder what to do when in such a position. Some would say the answer is obviously to take it in and try to find its owner. A valiant response, but things aren’t always so cut and dry in these situations. There are several ways to determine what to do when you find a lost dog and just as many courses of action. Keep reading to learn what to do in any of these scenarios.First encounterUpon your initial encounter with a lost dog, it may be difficult to decide what to do. Take a moment to survey the scene and determine whether or not the dog is indeed lost or has just wandered away from his home or owner. You may only need to alert the dog’s owner that it has strayed into harm’s way. If the dog is indeed without an owner nearby, you’ll need to follow these steps that outline what to do when you find a lost dog.Alert authoritiesOnce you’ve determined that a dog is lost, it’s time to call for help. Your local police, animal control, or animal shelter are best equipped to help you determine what to do when you find a lost dog. They will likely send a professional to help the animal and ensure everyone involved remains safe.Approach with cautionBe cautious when attempting to help a lost dog. They are often frightened and can react abnormally aggressive if approached or cornered. If the dog is in harm's way, you may deem it necessary to contain it until help arrives. The following steps will keep both you and the dog safe as you work toward finding its owner.Move slowly - Be sure to move toward the dog in a non-threatening manner. Otherwise, your attempts to help him may actually spook him, putting him at risk of running into traffic or somewhere you won’t be able to locate him.Speak quietly - Use soft, friendly tones that will encourage the dog to approach you and help signify that you aren’t a threat. Yelling or talking in a stern voice will put the dog on alert and may startle him.Offer food - The offer of a treat will help establish a bit of trust and may be the key component in his allowing you to approach. If you have food on hand, use it to your advantage.Check for tags - If you are able to get close to the dog, check to see if they have any tags that will help you to locate their owner. If you’re able to call their owner, you may be able to save them a lot of worrying, and they can come pick their dog up immediately.Contain when possible - If you are working with a dog that has begun to trust you and you have deemed friendly, you may want to attempt to lure him into your car or home in order to contain him until help arrives. Use slow movements, a soft voice, and any food to lure them into a place where they won’t cause harm to themselves or others. When possible, don’t attempt to drive anywhere with a lost dog as they may become frightened and act out.What to do if you can’t reach your local authoritiesYou may find yourself in a scenario where there are no local authorities available to help you. In this situation, you’ll want to follow these steps to ensure you can help the lost dog without putting yourself in harm’s way.Only proceed with a docile animal - If you have any doubts about whether or not the dog will act aggressively toward you, do not approach or attempt to contain him. Your attempts to help won’t be worthwhile if you are harmed or if the dog causes an accident.Take it to the nearest vet- If you’re able to contain the dog and have determined that it is not aggressive, drive with him to your nearest vet in order to see whether or not his owner has had him microchipped. A microchip will be able to provide the vet the owner’s phone number and address.Post flyers - You may decide to try to find the owner yourself before dropping them at a shelter. Take a good picture of the dog and create flyers with information about his breed, size, weight, and any defining features. Be sure to include where you found the dog and when you found them. You can email the CCSPCA one at frontdesks@ccspca.com.Head to the shelter - If the dog doesn’t have a microchip and you haven’t had any response from your fliers, you may want to take the dog to your nearest animal shelter. Their owner will likely be contacting local shelters in order to find their lost dog.Now you know what to do when you find a lost dog. It’s very important to assess the situation before you attempt to help. When you take the appropriate steps, you’ll be helping the dog and providing a great service to a very worried owner.If you’ve lost your dog, head over to our Lost Dog Page.