What To Do if You Find a Lost Pet

We’ve all been in this situation.  We’re driving down the road and see someone’s lost pet wandering about.  Lots of times people think the best thing to do is let the animal find his/her way home.  This is a bad idea.  Most lost pets never find their way home OR to a shelter.  The best thing to do is catch the animal to keep it safe.  Of course, there are limits to this.  Not all cats and dogs are friendly or want to be caught.  But for those that are approachable- well, very likely you’ll save their life.

There is anxiety associated with catching a stray.  I have picked up many strays but it still happens to me.   As an example, say I find a dog.  My mind immediately races.   Will I be “stuck” with this dog?  I often pray the dog has an ID tag so I can simply call the owner and take the dog home.  If there’s no ID what do I do?  Is the Hamilton County Humane Society open right now?  Do I take the dog to my own home?  The following is how I handle the situation.  First, I always try to pick up a lost dog and keep a slip lead (a leash with built in collar) in my car at all times.  If the dog has a collar/tags I check and call the owner.  Nine times out of ten the dog does not have a tag.  If no tag the next step is to stop at the closest vet and have the dog scanned for a microchip.  Any vet will gladly do this for you.  If you’re lucky you’ll find the owner and the pet will happily be reunited with their family.   Here’s the tough part.  If none of the above have worked, what do you do?  In my situation since I have a multi-pet household and no real idea about the dog’s health or temperament I make it a rule not to introduce a stray to my own pets.  This is for their safety and well being as well as the stray dog.  Of course there is nothing wrong with keeping a stray in your home with your own pet if you’re comfortable with the situation and have less of a zoo than I do.  If you choose to do this, please notify all of the local humane societies with a description of the animal so if someone is looking for them there’s a chance they’ll find their pet.  The Indianapolis Star also offers found pet ads completely free of charge.

It is not a punishment to take a dog you find to the local humane society.  It is not a pleasant place for a dog to spend time at, but it is clean, dry and there is food and medical care.  Our local humane society currently has a no-kill policy and does not euthanize for space.  In most communities you can call your local police and either they can arrange for someone to come get the animal and take him/her to the shelter or can refer you to an agency that can do that.  Most often the thought of taking an animal to a shelter is what makes people decide to let an animal find it’s way home.  We have to face facts- this rarely happens.  Lost animals are, or will become, very stressed.  They are lacking food and water and their surroundings are much different than what they’re used to.  It is theorized that due to this stress lost pets tend to hide where they can’t be found, and weakness, hunger, vehicles and predators  mean they meet an untimely and unpleasant demise.  With that in mind, if you find a stray, stop the car and give it a chance to go home.   I know they will certainly appreciate it and you can feel good about yourself too.