FOUND A STRAY ANIMAL? HERE'S WHAT TO DO

 

One of the most common questions we receive is, "I found a stray animal. What do I do now?"

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First and foremost, if the animal appears sick, injured, in immediate danger, or is aggressive, please contact Animal Control immediately.

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If the animal appears healthy and friendly, we encourage you to take the following steps:

• Check the immediate area. Many pets are found only a few houses away from home. Speak with nearby residents and ask if they recognize the animal.

• Post the animal on social media. Include a clear photo and the location where the animal was found. Share in local neighborhood groups, Lost & Found Pet groups, Facebook, Nextdoor, and other community platforms.

• Report the found animal. Contact Animal Control or your local shelter to report that you have found an animal and ask whether it has been reported missing.

• Have the animal scanned for a microchip. Most veterinary clinics, shelters, and animal control agencies can scan for a microchip free of charge. If a chip is found, efforts can be made to contact the registered owner.

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A common misconception is that animal shelters tell people to "put the animal back where they found it." We do not.

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However, if someone chooses to pick up a healthy stray animal and transport it in their vehicle or bring it into their home, that is a personal decision. By doing so, they are voluntarily accepting responsibility for that animal's temporary care while efforts are made to locate the owner.

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Once an animal is safely confined, fed, watered, and protected, it is no longer considered to be in immediate need of emergency sheltering.

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PAWS is not an open-intake facility, and we must carefully manage our limited kennel space to ensure we can assist animals that are truly in crisis, including sick, injured, neglected, abused, dangerous, or abandoned animals.

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FINDER-TO-FOSTER PROGRAM

For healthy, found animals, we often offer this program.

 

Through this:

• The finder keeps the animal during its stray hold period.

• PAWS completes the intake process and enters the animal into our system.

• We post the animal on our website and lost-and-found resources.

• We provide guidance throughout the process.

• We can provide necessary supplies when available.

• If an owner is not located, we can assist with finding the animal a new home through our adoption program.

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This approach is often less stressful for the animal, keeps them out of an already crowded shelter environment, and allows us to preserve kennel space for animals that have nowhere else to go.

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Our kennels are frequently at or above capacity. If every healthy, found animal occupied a kennel, we would be unable to help animals facing true emergencies. PAWS is committed to maintaining lifesaving capacity, and we refuse to euthanize animals simply to create space.

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We appreciate our community's partnership in helping lost pets find their way home and ensuring that shelter resources remain available for the animals that need them most.

Thank you for being part of the solution!