I found a dog. What should I do?
Thank you for stopping to help. Note where you found the dog, check for a tag, and ask about a microchip scan. Local animal services can help if you can’t safely contain or keep the dog.
Is the dog in traffic or badly hurt?
Call local animal services and give the exact location and direction the dog is moving. If the dog is safely contained and injured, call a veterinary clinic before transporting them.
Do these three things now
Step 1: Take a photo and note the place
Record the street or nearest landmark, the time, and which way the dog was heading. A photo from where you are helps.
What to noteStep 2: Check for a tag, if it’s safe
If the dog comes to you and you feel comfortable, check the collar for a phone number.
If there’s no tagStep 3: Tell local animal services
Say where the dog was found, and ask about a microchip scan and a found-dog report.
Who to tell
See if someone nearby is missing this dog
Answer three quick questions and see if someone nearby is missing them. You’ll see what’s posted nearby before we ask for any contact details.
Private until you choose to share. No account needed.
Start with the situation in front of you
A precise sighting gives the owner and local services something useful to act on. Trust your judgment about whether it is safe to get close.
Record the street, nearest address or landmark, time, and direction of travel. A clear photo or short video can help identify the dog. If you are driving, pull over only where it is safe and legal.
If the dog approaches and you feel comfortable, a leash or enclosed area may keep them away from traffic. When the dog keeps their distance, stay where you feel safe and pass the location to local animal services.
Check the collar for a phone number if you can do so comfortably. Keep the dog somewhere secure while you contact the owner or local service. Give the dog space from children and other animals in the meantime.
Who should I contact?
Call the number on the tag when there is one. Also tell the local animal service or shelter where the dog was found and ask about a microchip scan and found-dog report. Local procedures vary, including within the United States.
A tag or microchip may lead straight home.
Start with the collar. When it has no working contact information, a shelter, animal service, or veterinary clinic can scan the dog for a microchip.
There is a phone number
Call and send a short message saying where the dog was found and whether they are safe with you. Keep the tag details and your location out of public posts.
There is no usable tag
Call a shelter, animal service, or veterinary clinic and ask where the dog can be scanned. A chip carries an identification number; the registry uses that number to reach the contact on file.
The scan does not lead to anyone
File a found-dog report and keep local services informed. The dog may still have a family searching through shelters, clinics, neighborhood groups, and lost-pet reports.
The scanning organization or registry can contact the person listed on the chip. Keep the microchip number private and check anyone who says the dog is theirs with other evidence too.
AAHA found-pet steps (opens in a new tab)What will help the owner recognize the dog?
A useful found-dog post says where and when the dog was found and where the dog is now. A few private details can help with the handoff later.
Include
- A clear photo and a simple FOUND DOG heading.
- The area, date, and time the dog was found or contained.
- Size, coat, visible markings, collar or harness, and any visible injury.
- Whether the dog is secure, still loose, or now with an animal service or veterinary clinic.
Keep private until someone says it’s their dog
- Keep one or two distinctive features, tag details, or behaviors out of the public description.
- Keep your home address and the dog's current private holding location out of public posts.
What happens next?
What if someone says the dog is theirs?
Ask for recent photos and a description of something you left out of the post. A name, veterinary record, license, or microchip registration can add confidence when available. Choose a handoff place where you feel comfortable, and bring someone with you if you would like.
What if I cannot keep the dog?
Tell the local animal service or shelter where the dog is and how long you can hold them. Ask where the dog can go next and whether transport is available. They can also explain the local intake process.
What if the dog needs medical care?
Call a veterinary clinic or animal service and explain that you found the dog. They can tell you where to go, how to move the dog safely, and who can authorize care in your area.
What if no owner comes forward?
Keep checking for missing dogs posted nearby and stay in contact with the local service that took your found report. In the United States, reporting and stray-hold rules vary by state and community. Ask what must happen before the dog can be kept, fostered, or rehomed.
What should I do after the reunion?
Take down any posts you shared and tell any shelters, clinics, or local services you contacted that the dog is home. That keeps other people from continuing to search.
How do I check a lead?
- Compare markings, ears, tail, and body shape across more than one photo when available. A similar photo is a lead, not proof of identity.
- Check the found location and event date, not just when the listing was added. Ask the finder or shelter to clarify missing or conflicting details.
- Save the report link or animal ID. Use the report’s contact option or the shelter’s official contact details; keep full microchip numbers and ownership records out of public replies.
- Confirm with independent evidence, such as earlier photos, records, or a microchip scan through a veterinary clinic or shelter. If ownership is uncertain, ask local animal services to help before arranging a handoff.
Help this dog get home
Answer three quick questions and see if someone nearby is missing them. You’ll see what’s posted nearby before we ask for any contact details.
Private until you choose to share. No account needed.