Every dog owner is concerned about losing their pet. Without a doubt, you’ve devised a strategy for discovering your missing dog. But what if you come upon someone else’s puppy? Naturally, you’ll want to reconnect the dog with its owner as quickly as possible, but how can you assist that pet in reuniting with its family?
How do you get in touch with the proprietor? And, if you decide to accept a found dog into your home while you wait, how will you keep your pets safe around it? Knowing the answers to these crucial questions can make a difference in ensuring that a missing dog returns home.
Getting Closer to a Missing Dog
Don’t run over to a loose dog and grab its collar right away. While getting the dog to safety is crucial, your safety is also critical. A lost dog could be scared, nervous, or injured, and not all dogs are friendly.
Observe the dog’s body language first. If the dog appears relaxed, slowly approach from the side, which is less threatening than approaching the front. Squat down next and extend your hand for the dog to smell. To make the dog feel more at ease, keep your body sideways and gaze away.
Only use the collar if the dog appears to be enjoying his time with you. You could also attach a leash or make a temporary slip lead out of rope. To entice the dog closer, you can use treats.
Do not attempt to grab or confine the dog if it does not come to you readily or appears aggressive. Bared teeth, stiff body language and hair standing on the edge are some of the warning signals to look for.
Remember that a wagging tail only indicates an emotionally stimulated dog, not a pleasant disposition. If you are concerned about the dog’s behavior, contact animal control or the police department so that the dog can be securely removed and taken to the appropriate authorities.
If you can’t safely approach the lost dog, you can capture a photo or video. This will allow you to provide a more detailed description of the dog than you could with only your memory, which could be beneficial if the dog flees before animal control arrives or contact the putative owner via fliers or the internet. You can also share the photo or video on social media, and the precise location where you saw the dog gives the owner the best chance of locating their pet.
Maintaining the Safety of a Lost Dog
You’ll need to consider a holding area if you can restrain the lost dog. You may merely be beholding the dog till you can travel to a nearby shelter, or you may want to keep it until the owner contacts you. You must keep your family, other pets, and the missing dog safe, whether it is temporarily or permanently.
Allow the missing dog to mingle with your other dogs only after receiving permission from a doctor. Not only may this be stressful for all of the animals involved, but the visitor could also be unvaccinated or carrying a disease that could infect your pets.
Parasites such as fleas or ringworm may also be present. Until you can get them to a shelter or veterinarian, consider confining the lost dog to a separate room in your home or a gated backyard. However, installing an electric dog fence is very safe for your dog’s security.
Identifying Yourself
If the dog is misplaced, the owner’s contact information should be on the collar ID tag. If no one answers, call each of the numbers on the list and leave a message. Has the dog scanned for a microchip if it doesn’t have ID tags or the numbers aren’t working? A scanner is present in every animal shelter and veterinary clinic. The procedure is straightforward, and the chip’s number connects to a pet registration agency.
Some businesses just provide contact information for the owner, while others, such as AKC Reunite, will contact the owner on your behalf. A tattoo, which is commonly found on the inside of the dog’s ear, within the ear canal, is another kind of ID that can be traced by animal control or a veterinarian.
Notifying the Owner of the Missing Dog
What alternatives remain for contacting the dog’s owner after you’ve phoned all the numbers linked with the ID tag and microchip? To begin, use technology to your advantage. Search for lost and found animal sections on local websites. Look through the lost pet ads and leave your message. You can also utilize Facebook and other social media sites to inform folks that a lost dog has been discovered.
Post flyers in your neighborhood with the dog’s picture and your contact information. You might also visit nearby veterinary offices and request that the leaflet be posted in their lobby. You could also walk door to door in the neighborhood to see if anyone knows who the pet is.