When you find a stray dog, the first reflexes are not always the right ones: either you don't really know what to do with it, who to contact, or you dare not approach it so you let it wander, etc Clearly, we often ask ourselves a lot of questions and we don't really know what our possibilities are. Today I have an article for you to answer your most common questions and finally know what to do if you come across a stray dog (and you have no intention of leaving it hanging).
How to approach a stray dog?
The best way to approach a stray dog is often to leave him alone in the end.Indeed, you do not know this dog, he does not know you and if he is lost, he is potentially in a very unstable emotional state. It is much more reasonable to let him come to you: stay straight, without sudden movements, arms along your body and let the dog come and sniff you.
Well if the dog bares his teeth, growls at you and barks while backing up Let it go, it's not in a stable enough emotional state to interact respectfully with you. Leave him alone but still notify the competent authorities of his presence in the town!
Otherwise, if you feel that the dog is nice, that he has come to sniff you and that he does not run away: then you can start to undertake research work. Normally, only authorized people (professionals) can catch a stray dog But we are not going to lie to each other, concretely in “real life” we rarely have time to wait for the arrival of a police officer, a member of a pound or the SPA
Therefore, if you feel that the contact is good, that the dog is sociable and has a friendly attitude, you can interact with him. But above all, don't make sudden gestures, don't necessarily try to touch him, let him do it and above all be as relaxed as possible.
Who to contact when you find a dog?
If you managed to approach the dog and even bring him home, check if he doesn't already have a medal or a collar with the contact details of his masters. If so: contact the number listed and let the owners know that you have found their dog. They will often be very relieved and will thank you warmly for taking the time to carry out this process.
In the event that no information is present on the dog, you must unfortunately call the municipal pound or the SPA near you. They will take care of the formalities using the identification of the dog (tattoo or microchip) and access to the register of the Société Centrale Canine.They can then find the owners of the dog more easily and quickly than you.
You must also contact your town hall to report the presence of a stray dog in the town. Indeed, the mayors are, according to the law, “responsible for the fight against animal wandering”. This is often the first thing to do since it is the town hall that will put you more easily in touch with the place of deposit (pound, SPA) attached to their municipality.
If you don't want to go that far (even though it's the legal process), you can also take a picture of the dog and post an ad on social media. This can work, especially if the masters of this dog have also published an announcement.
What does the law say about stray dogs?
" The law is quite strict on this subject, article L211-19-1 of the Rural Code and maritime fishing stipulates that it is forbidden to let domestic animals and wild animals tamed or kept in captivity."
And since it is the mayors who are responsible for the fight against the wandering of animals on their territory, it is often them who make the "final" decision concerning the future of the stray dog, in the event that he is unclaimed or its owners are unidentified.
" Precisely, here is what the law says (article L211-20 of the Rural and Maritime Fishing Code): If the animals are not claimed, they are considered abandoned and the mayor has them euthanized , either to their sale in accordance with the provisions of Article L. 211-1, or to their transfer, free of charge, to a foundation or animal protection association recognized as being of public utility or declared. The costs resulting from all the measures taken are charged to the owner or holder of the animals. If the owner or holder of the animals remains unknown, the mayor authorizes the manager of the place of deposit to take one of the measures listed above."
However, be aware that euthanasia of stray dogs is very rare, the dog really has to be in a very critical state of he alth or show major signs of aggression (and again).
The collective unconscious that wants to give an image of death to municipal pounds is often very exaggerated. The purpose of pounds is not to eliminate stray dogs, it is to do everything to find their owners and, if they cannot, to find adoption solutions.
What to do with a dog found at night?
If you find a dog at night, follow the same measures as if you find it during the day. However, at night it is often complicated to contact the various competent authorities. Do not hesitate to contact the veterinary emergencies near you or a police station who will give you the procedure to follow.
Adopting a found animal: is it possible?
When the dog is placed in the pound (or in a SPA), the legal deadline is 8 days. Beyond that, if the dog is not claimed by its owners, they remain unknown or they do not wish to recover their dog, it is considered abandoned. He can therefore be adopted. You can then completely adopt the animal you have found if its original owners do not come to collect it.
However, I do not advise you to keep this dog at home once you have picked it up on the public highway: go through all the legal procedures so that you are not suspected later. dog theft (yes, yes, anything can happen!).