What should you do if you come across a lost pet?

Those of us who are animal lovers hope that lost dogs will find their owners when we see ads on social media. However, what should you do if find a lost dog and you don’t know whose it belongs to? How should you react? What should you do? There are a few simple steps to you can do to find the dog’s family.

What should you do when you come across a lost pet?

Let him come to you

No matter how tame an animal acts in your home, it’s not easy for it to be around strangers. So, the first thing you should do is lure him to you. Earn his trust so you can get hold of him. If you ever come across a lost pet and leave where he was at while you try to find the owner, he most likely will be gone within a few minutes.

If you’re near a store or restaurant, try to get some food. Speak to him softly, let him sniff you, and don’t make any abrupt gestures. He may gradually approach.

Bring him home

A safe, quiet place will make the animal feel comfortable, and it will be helpful to gain more of his trust. If you put him in the car and take him from one place to another to find his owner, you’ll only make him nervous.

Be sure to give him food and water, and pet him because he may feel frightened. This will give him time to calm down, while you search for his owner.

Put a post on social media

As you get to the pet, you can post a picture of the animal on social media. Write the name of the street you found it, list any accessory it has on and his personality. Leave your contact information for the owner to call you.

Go to the vet

In some countries, all dogs are required to have a microchip by law, so the animal you found might have one. Once he has calmed down, go to the vet so he/she can read the chip and find the owner. 

If you are about the dog feeling nervous, you can stay with him at the clinic until the owners show up. They will be eternally grateful for finding him.

 What if I find a lost animal and the owner never shows up?

This is another situation you may have to deal with because social might not work and the animal might not have a microchip. If you are caught up in this type of situation, then the best thing you can do is to take him to an animal shelter so they can find a home for him.

They will probably give you two options:

• Adopt him temporarily. Animal welfare organizations seek temporary shelters for abandoned animals while they find a family for the animal. The shelter takes care of all of the animal’s expenses, including food and veterinary services. The problem with this is that you might get attached to the animal and end up having to give him away. So really think it over to see if your emotionally prepared to take that risk.
•  Adopt it permanently. You can also choose to keep the animal. Why not? Seriously, think it over. If you’re willing to adopt a dog and are mature enough to take full responsibility for an animal, then who is a better option than you?

After reading these tips, now you know what to do when you come across a lost pet. If end up finding one, take a deep breath and clearly think through because you can always find a solution.