02/14/2025
🚨 FOUND A STRAY DOG? HERE’S WHY CONTACTING THE RIGHT AUTHORITIES MATTERS! 🐾
Recently, a well-meaning individual found a stray dog and was advised by multiple people to contact the non-emergency police line so Animal Control could pick up the dog and take it to the appropriate shelter. In this particular town, strays must be brought in by the police or Animal Control to ensure proper handling.
Instead of following this guidance, the finder assumed the dog had been abandoned and tried to find a foster in another town. Unfortunately, this set off a chain of events that made things far more complicated than necessary:
🐶 The dog escaped from the foster home.
🔍 After a day of searching, the finder located the dog again.
🏡 Unsure what to do next, they gave the dog to someone willing to adopt it.
😨 Little did they know, the dog wasn’t abandoned - it had escaped from a dog sitter’s home while the owner was out of town.
The owner had no idea this was happening. Thankfully, the proper authorities were notified. Animal Control and the Police were able to investigate and ensure the dog was taken to the shelter that serves the town where it was found. Ultimately, the dog was successfully reunited with its owner - exactly what should have happened in the first place.
✨ The moral of the story: If you find a lost dog, ALWAYS NOTIFY the non-emergency police and Animal Control IN THE TOWN WHERE IT WAS FOUND. This ensures:
✔️ The dog is taken to the correct shelter.
✔️ The shelter can properly document and care for the dog.
✔️ Time, resources, and confusion are avoided.
Laws and systems exist to protect lost pets and ensure they are handled properly. Ignoring them can lead to unnecessary stress and confusion. Do the right thing - contact the proper authorities. It makes all the difference.
Please share to spread awareness! 🐾💙
Credit: Kevin Ranallo