Many people don’t know this, but you don’t have to actually belong to any organization in order to rescue a dog in distress. Now if you are not familiar with dogs, I sure wouldn’t advise this type of activity, because you may be afraid and if the dog senses your discomfort, well things might turn against you.

However, if you’ve been raised around dogs, even have one or more in your home now, and are comfortable helping a dog in need, then by all means help as you are able. Types of help you might offer include:

1) Hands off involvement. You simply call the local Human Society and report a stray so someone will pick it up. While waiting, you could set out a dog bed, bowl of water and some dog food and / or treats, if you have any.

2) Restrained help. If you are able to invite the dog into your fenced in yard or garage, then you could continue with the other help in #1 above while keeping the dog in a safe environment. You may also extend your reach by contacting rescue organizations like Golden Retriever Rescue or Greyhound Rescue group in your area. Check the Yellow pages for info on any groups near you, ask a local vet or search online for help.

3) Foster help. This may be up to your family and you to see if you’d like to be the dog’s new home until other arrangements are found. If so, head to the next section below for more in-depth help.

Foster Care for a Dog

Should your decide to temporarily take care of the dog, this means that first a trip is in order to a vet, local humane society chapter or pet store where the staff can scan the animal for a micro-chip showing evidence of an owner you could contact. They can also share valuable tips and information about the animal’s health and what stage it may be in for shots.

If no micro-chip exists or you cannot get hold of the owner, and it’s agreed with your family that you will temporarily take care of Fido until a solution is found, then a good shampooing is in order next, to rid fur of any ticks and grime before it enters your home.

Follow up with staff who helped scan your animal for more tips on how to report a found dog. You can list it online at PetFBI.org, you can contact your local law enforcement to see if they have anyone searching for the animal and / or a place to report found animals.

Then in a timely manner, follow up with treatment for the dog. Call the pet shop and see about shots, heart worm medicine, rabies tag, dog license and other important issues facing the dog. Unlike rabbits and some other animals, society has strict rules about dogs that you need to follow for the safety of your family, friends, neighbors, for the dog and other animals.  

And last but not least, get some essentials for the dog and fun things. All dogs need good dog supplies. Toys, a nice dog bed, dog treat jars, dog food storage containers and a leash are some items to consider. Any book about caring for dogs from the public library should have a lot more helpful information.


Tags: humane society | dog rescue | dog rescue | spca | spca | dogs | dogs | pets | pets | pet | pet | dog

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