Your dog goes missing! You come across a stray dog! What would you do?
Being in the rescue and sanctuary business, Mama Shannon Tarr of Emotional Rescue would really like all of us to have a workable plan in place in case either of these scenarios comes true.
What if you can’t find your dog? How would you go about the next steps?
First, as soon as you’re aware your dog is missing, grab some treats or a favorite toy, along with a collar and leash. Head out calling your dog’s name with a command such as “come,” “here,” or any other command you and your dog use to bring them to you. Shake the treat bag or use other sounds your dog is familiar with.
Still no luck? Ask neighbors if they’ve seen your dog. If so, what direction did the dog go? When was that?
Then call the authorities in your area that deal with this type of situation. Whether it’s the police or animal control, give them all the details you can provide. What does your dog look like? What is the dog’s temperament? Was the dog wearing a collar and ID tag? Give them anything and everything that can help these people help you find your dog.
Go to social media with pictures and descriptions. Use Facebook pages, Instagram and, again, any and all avenues that can help other folks notice your missing pup.
Old-fashioned posters put up around your neighborhood with pictures of your dog and your contact information do work, so don’t forget to utilize that type of advertising. Rescues, shelters and veterinary clinics can also help if a stray is turned in to them. Contact them all.
What if you find a stray dog?
First, stay safe! Don’t approach the dog unless it willingly comes to you and seems friendly. If the dog is aggressive or runs away, try to get a photo if possible and contact authorities as soon as possible. Give them as much information as you can about the dog, including its description, location, the time you saw it and any other details that may help.
If you can safely bring the dog to you, please don’t introduce the dog to any pets you may have. You don’t know if the dog is injured, has a disease or won’t do well with other animals.
Check for an ID tag and call the number on the tag to let the owner know you’ve got their dog. If there is no visible ID, you can post on social media with the information you have about the dog if you choose to keep the dog with you temporarily.
Otherwise, take the dog to a veterinary clinic, shelter or rescue to see if the dog has a microchip. The dog may also be turned over to authorities, a rescue or a shelter for care.
Now, let’s talk about microchipping your pet and how important a microchip could be in either of the situations listed above.
A microchip isn’t a GPS device. When scanned, a registered chip can provide information used to identify a dog’s owner or another responsible party and provide their contact information.
This technology is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected under a dog’s skin by your veterinarian or a properly trained organization. The procedure is much like your dog receiving a regular shot. The average price for microchipping is about $30 to $40.
Your veterinarian can also check the microchip with a simple scanner to make sure it can still be read properly. You can see how valuable this technology can be in helping return your dog to you if it goes missing, or in identifying the owner of a stray dog you bring to a veterinary clinic or shelter.
At Emotional Rescue, your adopted dog will have a full set of vaccinations, be heartworm-free, receive veterinary and dental care and, yes, be microchipped! All of this care is included in your dog’s adoption fee, not to mention the training and personality evaluation your new dog will have received while in foster care.
In conclusion, if you have a dog that’s not currently microchipped, you may want to consider doing just that.
If your dog is lost or you find a stray dog, you now have a “tool kit” of steps you can take to help create a good outcome.
And if you’re looking for that special pup to join you and your family, please visit emotionalrescuedogs.org. You’ll find all of our adoptable Sweethearts, learn about the half-price adoption fees for our older puppies and see all the happenings at Emotional Rescue.
By the way, our Facebook page is “Rescue Life”!
Thank you, Hastings Journal, for helping us share our stories with your readers!