Dog lovers often find it most difficult to deal with abandoned and lost pets because of the empathy they share with the little pooch. Most lost dogs are afraid and anxious; they constantly look for their missing family and might even try to be adopted by a new home.
If you have ever found a dog that was excessively shivering, barking, or giving innocent puppy eyes; it could have been a lost pet.If you are unsure about the dog's temperament, it is better to understand the different dog barking sounds and their body language.
During such cases, you can help the fur baby to reunite with its family or find a safe place for it to stay. Unsure how? Continue reading. This article tells you how to deal with finding a lost dog. If you have lost your dog, the steps would be different.
How to calm a dog
If you found a lost dog, the first and foremost thing you should do is try to calm it down. Lost dogs are extremely nervous and scared. They either try to hide away in sneaky corners or get attention from fellow humans to help them out. How to calm a dog down? Use these following steps
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Comfort it
If you found a dog that looks lost, try winning its confidence by talking in soft voice. Once the dog warms up to you, slowly try petting and comforting it.
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Offer food and water
A pet is more likely to be unaware of life on the street. Lost fur babies often cannot find food and are most likely to be hungry and thirsty. If you found a lost dog, offer food and water. If you do not have dog food or treats, offer this pawsome being a few biscuits to eat. It will appear more relaxed and friendly once it is well-fed and hydrated.
How to help a lost and found dog?
A lost and found dog is often seen searching for its caregiver, some pooches might even try to gain confidence of new people to try and get adopted into a new family. If you found a lost dog, then given below are a few things you can do to help it reunite with its family:
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Search their collar and tag
Most pets have a collar around their neck with tags that contain their name. A few pet parents also add other additional information such as their contact number on the tag to find their pet easily if it ever goes missing. But do not forget the drill; first, comfort and feed the dog. You can then try to seek information on its collar and tag. If you find any contact information on the collar, call the guardian and reunite them.
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Take them to a shelter
If the dog is not wearing a collar or tag, you can connect with the nearest animal shelter for help. Comfort the pooch and then take it to the nearest animal shelter. The shelter can then proceed to actively look for its guardians while providing them with the right care and nutrition. Abandoned dogs should also be handed over to a shelter as they might need some professional help healing from the trauma before being adopted into a new loving family.
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Foster them
If you are willing to adopt a pet for a little while, then you can foster a lost dog while actively looking for its guardians or trying to find it a new home. Offering to take care of the found dog is a recommended alternative if you do not have any animal shelter in proximity or if the shelter is overcrowded. Fostering will provide the canine with the love it needs while the shelter actively tries to find its original caregivers.
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Spread the word
If you have found a missing dog and you are fostering it till you find its original family, then you should start posting about the pooch on social media. You can also post multiple posters of the dog around your city. Doing so will help the family find their missing pet more easily. The caregivers or people who know them might come across the poster or social media post and contact you to reunite with their missing pet.
A lost furry friend needs nothing but care and support, so make sure to be gentle with them. Also, a little effort and active search from your end can help the fur baby reunite with its family.
Frequently asked questions
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I found a lost dog; can I keep it?
You can foster the lost and found the dog while you actively search for its original family. However, if you are unable to trace its caregiver, then you may go ahead and adopt it.
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I found dogs near me; how can I tell if they are abandoned pets?
If you found a lost dog, then it is more likely to be well-groomed and hyperactive in trying to search for its guardians. Abandoned and traumatised dogs are more likely to be hiding to find a safe shelter. Abandoned dogs are also quieter, more afraid, and more anxious compared to pets that have gone missing.
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How do I tell if the dog I found has an owner?
Lost dogs are more likely to be well-groomed yet anxious. Pets are also more comfortable around humans and hence, lost pooches try to look for a new family to adopt them if they are unable to find their guardians. If you find a lost dog, then look for its collar or tag. If the dog is too friendly, anxious, or nervous and has a collar or tag then it is more likely to be a lost dog that has an owner.
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Who can I call to help a dog I found?
If you have found dogs who appear to be missing pets, you can contact the nearest police station or animal shelter to help them reunite with their family.
