They can show up anywhere, of course. You could be out walking in a seemingly isolated place and you might run into a random stray. Though they are more obvious in cities, it’s not the only place you’d have to potentially deal with a stray dog. So how do we do it? What are the important things to remember when dealing with stray dogs?
Your safety
Not all strays are safe. So we want to make sure you and other humans and your dog (if they’re with you) are safe first thing.
You’ll want to start by assessing the dog’s overall demeanor. You can read what we’ve previously written about the basics of dog body language. Are they doing things to signify friendliness, fear, or otherwise?
Does the dog look like they are injured or hurt or sick in any way? This can make the nicest dog not safe. An injured or sick animal is going to act very differently than a healthy one. So if they seem like something is wrong, just call animal control. Let them do their job and capture the dog and get it help.
If you’re walking and the dog appears aggressive, do not make eye contact. Do not run or make sudden movements but do start to walk away from the dog. Again without eye contact. And if you have your phone on you, call animal control.
The dog’s safety and care
If the dog seems friendly, call out to them and see how they react. Some dogs will come right to you, no problem.
Other dogs are quite the opposite and see any interaction as play, so they can be hard to catch. You know – they love to run away if you run toward them, so don’t run toward them. Walk slowly and calmly.
If you have any treats on you, see if that entices them. They might be very hungry so this might make it easy.
If you are able to get a hold of them, check for ID, of course. If they don’t have any, head to a vet. They can check for a microchip. If there is no microchip, the hospital might be able to keep them temporarily.
If not, you have a couple of choices. See if any shelters have any space or take the dog home with you. Only do this if you have the space to keep the dog separated from your own animals.
Once the dog is secure, it’s time to find their owner (hopefully). One super helpful and easy way to try to find the owner is social media. Take some photos and start posting. If you have a local animal network that helps reunite owners and pets, notify them so they can do the same.
Neighborhood strays
Sometimes a neighborhood will have a stray that no one can get a hold of. One way you can help is food but also clean water. Water can actually be a much bigger issue.
In the winter, you can also create, basically, “warming stations” so they don’t succumb to severe weather. You can read about how to do that here.