Impossible not to be moved by the extremely precarious situation of dogs that must survive on the streets, victims of abandonment, loss or the lack of concrete measures regarding street overpopulation. As conscientious people and animal lovers, the first thing that comes to our mind is how to help stray dogs, to free them from their daily suffering and provide them with minimal conditions. worthy of life
However, it is important that we be aware and cautious when offering our help, to preserve both our physical integrity and that of the animal, which, most likely, will already be weakened. With this in mind, we have prepared this article on our site with the aim of sharing some useful tips to help stray dogs in a viable and safe way. Keep reading!
What to do if you find a stray dog?
One of the key points to know how to help stray dogs is to know the actions you can take when you come across an abandoned, lost or injured animal. Logically, the first step is to get this dog (or other animal) out of the noxious environment and circumstances in which it is immersed. And it is necessary to act very carefully at this point, because picking up a stray animal implies not only knowing how to approach, handle and transport it correctly, but also assuming a series of responsibilities regarding its well-being.
For this reason, not all people will have the ideal conditions to pick up a stray dog by their own means, either due to the lack of resources or infrastructure to carry out the rescue and transport of the animal, or due to the impossibility of making the dog "let himself be rescued", that is, allow us to get close enough and be able to handle it safely to take it with us.
If you are aware that you have the necessary resources to carry out the rescue, welcome to this news! But remember that this dog will most likely be frightened, perhaps weak, or even hurt, so it's perfectly natural for him to be wary or even defensive at your approach. Therefore, the first thing you should do before approaching is to analyze the posture and behavior of the dog you intend to rescue. Knowing some basic parameters of canine body language, you will be able to easily perceive the signs of fear in dogs and the typical characteristics of a defensive attitude, associated with aggressiveness due to fear.
How to know if a dog is afraid?
To help you, we summarize below the most obvious signs that show us that a dog is afraid, that it may react negatively because it feels threatened or to move away from the individual or stimulus that causes discomfort:
- He is scared or very scared: hides his tail between his legs, has his ears thrown back, smacks his lips and keeps a stooped posture.
- Displays a defensive attitude: has bristly hair and stiff limbs, shows teeth, growls, emits “warning barks” fast and without pauses.
- Signs of offensive aggression: bristly hair, wrinkled snout, upturned tail, very rigid and stiff teeth and extremities. In this case, the barks are usually shorter and louder, clearly expressing that a certain situation causes anger, pain or discomfort to the dog.
If the dog adopts an offensive attitude, beyond showing some signs of fear, you should reconsider the idea of approaching and contacting trained professionals to perform the rescue (we'll explain how to do it better later).
How to approach a stray dog correctly?
If after evaluating the dog's posture and behaviour, you perceive that it is possible to get closer, you should do it calmly and gradually, preferably from the side and not from the front, without making sudden movements or intense noises so as not to scare or frighten it. Remember: you are a stranger to the dog and the dog is a stranger to you, and this is the first meeting of him. So you must give him the opportunity to get to know you and show him your good intentions, before demanding that he trust you.
Ideally, keep a minimum safety distance, because you won't be able to know exactly how the dog will react to your rescue attempt, and try to get the dog to come to you of its own volition, which takes time and some encouragement.
In this sense, you can use food to capture his attention and create a positive environment, which encourages the dog to feel the confidence to approach An excellent technique is to break the food into smaller pieces and spread it on the floor, making a “little path” that leads towards you.
In case the dog does approach, remember don't try to touch him (except grab or pick him up)abruptly It is also important that you avoid looking him directly in the eye, since in the body language of dogs, this could be interpreted as a “challenge”.
Simply, crouch down a bit (keeping a bit of that safe distance) and extend your hand with an open palm so that the dog can sniff you. Talk to him in a calm voice and say positive words, to praise his behavior and let him know that he is safe with you, such as: "very good", "good boy" or "well done, friend".
For more information, we encourage you to read this other article on How to approach an unknown dog?
The dog came, now what do I do to help him?
When the dog is more confident and calm with your presence, take the opportunity to check if it has a identification tag Remember that some dogs go to end up on the streets after being lost from their homes, which means that his guardians are most likely looking for him. Generally, stray dogs tend to be in noticeably better condition than those abandoned or born on the streets; you will probably notice that he seems well fed and his coat is well cared for.
If the dog does have the plate with the telephone number of its guardian(s), you can contact them to inform them of the situation and give them the good news that you have found his best friend. But if this does not happen, the next step would be to go to a veterinary clinic to verify if it is an abandoned dog with an identification chip. This device will contain the basic data of the owner, so both you and the veterinarian can contact the guardians.
If the dog does not have an identification tag or chip, it is most likely that he was a victim of abandonment or that he was born on the streets and never had a home. Which brings us to the next step:
How to help abandoned dogs?
After you have rescued a stray dog and confirmed that he does not have a guardian, you probably feel like adopting him. This alternative would be great, not only because there are many advantages of adopting a stray dog, but also because the protectors and shelters usually have their facilities full due to the high number of animals that are abandoned each year (and that, for the most part, are dogs). In addition, in some cities, the sacrifice of abandoned animals that are not adopted within a predetermined period of time is still allowed.
If you have the possibility, you can take advantage of the visit to the veterinarian who has read the chip to make a general evaluation of the state of he althof the demure dog, or go to your trusted veterinarian. The important thing is to know what treatment or care is necessary to recover or preserve your well-being. It is also a good opportunity to start your vaccination and deworming plan, to prevent your he alth and behavior from being affected by any disease or internal and external parasites.
In the following video, we share the most important considerations about vaccinations for puppies and adult dogs:
If at this moment you do not have the necessary financial resources to face all the preventive or curative treatments that the dog requires to maintain its good he alth, and they can be very expensive in some countries, a good option is do an internet search, using browsers and social media, to find popular or affordable veterinary hospitals in your region.
If this option is not available in your city, you can use these same digital means to contact protectors, shelters or independent protectors that are close to your home. In this way, you will be able to request help and receive advice on the most accessible alternatives to provide proper care for the rescued dog you wish to adopt.
And speaking of the essential care of a dog, here on our site you will find many useful contents to care for, educate and train your new best friend in the least possible way. Be sure to take a look at this 10-step guide to caring for a dog and these tips for educating an adopted dog.
What can I do to help a stray dog if I can't adopt it?
Unfortunately, we will not always have the time, space and financial solvency necessary to keep a dog, especially if we already share our home with other animals and are responsible for their well-being. So eventually, helping strays will mean temporarily providing them with the support they need to find them the best possible guardian
In this sense, if you live in Spain, you must be clear that, according to the provisions of article 17 of the Animal Protection and Welfare Code, of April 16, 2018, it corresponds to the City Councils or Protective Associations , the collection and donation of abandoned or lost dogs, these institutions must have veterinary care and a 24-hour collection service. So you can always go to these authorities both to request the rescue of an abandoned dog, and to ensure that it receives the necessary care and has the opportunity to be adopted (in case you cannot do it).
In the event that, unfortunately, you cannot count on the effective action of the authorities of your country or city, you can take the initiative to find yourself a protective association or an independent protector who works seriously to find a new home for the rescued dog. Again, digital media can be your great ally in this search.
If you cannot count on the help of protectors, shelters or independent protectors either, the last alternative would be to find yourself a new home and a new guardian for the rescued dog. And we say “last”, because that implies assuming a great responsibility, which should be carried out by duly trained institutions and people with the appropriate tools to guarantee a responsible adoption. But, if you have to take responsibility for this task, remember to be very conscientious when giving the dog up for adoption, seeking to know if the person requesting it really has the resources and means required to raise it in decent conditions.
Avoid making the "donation" of the dog during festive times, such as Christmas or Children's Day, since many people continue to mistakenly offer animals as gifts, and many of them end up again abandoned on the streets …
What can I do if I can't rescue a stray dog?
As we have been saying, rescuing a stray dog or an injured animal is not always within everyone's reach. And eventually, due to fear or pain, the dog itself does not show a favorable attitude to the approach of strangers, so its rescue becomes unfeasible for a person who is not properly trained for this function.
Likewise, this does not mean that we cannot do anything and we must let the animal continue in these precarious conditions, because we can turn to trained professionalsin carrying out this type of rescue.
At this point, the first thing is to make a very important clarification: if you come across a stray dog and cannot pick it up, it is not advisable to call directly an animal shelter, a rescue center or other NGOs dedicated to animal protection. In addition to the fact that these organizations and their professionals (many of them volunteers) are often overburdened, you should consider that the shelter the dog will be delivered to is often determined by where it was found.
Thus, the best way to act when encountering a stray dog that you cannot rescue is to contact the competent authorities at this matter in your country or region of residence. In Spain, for example, the ideal is to get in touch by phone with one of these three numbers:
- Emergencies: 112.
- Civil Guard: 062.
- Urban Guard: 092.
Clearly, these helpline numbers may vary in different countries around the world. If you don't know exactly to which authority you should go to request the rescue of an abandoned or lost animal, try contacting the local Police, the Civil Guard or the number for Emergencies in your country. Surely, the person who answers your call will be able to guide you or even refer you directly to the competent authorities.
When making your call, remember to remain calm and speak clearly and slowly, so that the other person can understand you more precisely and quickly. Try to explain the situation with the greatest clarity and objectivity possible, as well as inform with the greatest detail the place where the rescue must take place.
Other ways to help stray dogs
In addition to rescue and adoption, there are other ways to help stray dogs and you can put many of them into practice in your day to day, spending just a little of your time.
Reinforce the importance of preventing street overpopulation
The first and most important thing you can do is help raise awareness of the importance of spay and neuter methods in controlling street overcrowding. In addition to taking the proper actions to prevent your animals from generating unplanned litters, you can talk with your friends, family and acquaintances, as well as use social networks and other digital channels to share relevant content on this topic.
You can also use these same strategies to promote the adoption of abandoned dogs that are in shelters or protectors, and raise awareness that buying and selling of "pets", in addition to reinforcing the idea that animals can be treated as merchandise, encourages exploitation practices, especially of females used as mother or reproducers, and a large part of the animals used to generate puppies or offspring that, later, they will be offered in stores and through the Internet, are kept in unsanitary conditions, suffer from nutritional deficiencies and are frequently victims of violence.
Participate as a volunteer in animal shelters or shelters
Well, if you can spare some of your time to volunteer at a shelter or shelter, this would be a wonderful way to help stray dogs and the many animals waiting there for another chance to have a home and a family.
You don't need to have any specific knowledge of training, education or veterinary care, as there are different simple tasks you can perform to help these animals rescued from the streets feel a little better, like spending some time cleaning and conditioning their fur, or just keeping them a little company.
Go ahead and look for the protector closest to your home and talk to the person in charge of it to find out how you can help them with your voluntary work
Report cases of animal abuse and neglect
Mistreating, abandoning and physically, emotionally or sexually abusing pets are already considered crimes in most countries, for which fines and/or the possibility of serving an effective prison sentence are foreseen. Although, unfortunately, few sentences become effective and the pen alties continue to be very "soft" compared to the damage caused to animals, it is essential that we continue denouncing the cases of abuse and neglect that we witness. The report is necessary so that the dog (or other animal) can be rescued from the circumstances of mistreatment, abuse or neglect,and have access to the minimum conditions of animal welfare.
Many countries already make available to citizens free hotlines to report the abuse and abandonment of animals, in which There is the possibility of making anonymous complaints. Likewise, the most advisable thing to do, when we overcome the current conditions of social distancing, will continue to be to make the complaint in person, going to the corresponding authorities with as much data as we can provide about the abused animal and its abuser, as well as evidence that check the abuses (photos, videos and/or testimonies of other people).
In this article dedicated exclusively to animal abuse, we tell you all about the types of abuse, its causes and the different alternatives to denounce and combat all kinds of abuse against our best friends.
Finally, remember that they are small daily actions that, done with dedication and persistence, day after day, year after year, allow drive big changes in our society. Your voice is important and your participation does make a big difference. We are with you in this honorable mission to protect, care for and help animals.
