New Topic:
What should people do if they "find" a stray animal.
One day I was on my way to school to pick up the kids, with a baby strapped in the car seat behind me. It was raining and I was 4 blocks from my house when I saw a Boston Terrier running down the middle of the street. He was not wandering. He did not look lost. I saw that he had tags but there was no human around.
What should I have done? What was it about the situation that made me assume the dog was lost? Other folks may not restrain their animals or keep watch over them; they may intentionally let the dog roam the neighborhood. Even though it is against city ordinances, it happens. People let their dogs "out."
I will make several blog posts about the topic of saving or rescuing because it is quite extensive. Basically, the answer to whether or not a person should pick up a stray is: it depends. There is no "correct" answer.
It is a natural human reaction to want to help. My heart goes out to animals who don't have homes or who are abandoned. Saving an animal's life would make me feel good. It's the right thing to do.
Or is it?
There are so many circumstances and conditions which can surround "rescuing" or "saving" an animal that seems lost. I've wanted to save some animals who are not even close to being considered stray.
Conditions to consider
Did the animal just "show up" at your house? Was the animal within a half mile of your house? Was the animal in a yard hanging out or was the animal walking or running down a street clearly "on the move?" Is it likely a neighbor's? Do you live in an area where animals are often abandoned? Is the animal friendly? Did it approach you (and does it approach people in general) or did you approach it? Does the animal look clean and cared for? Is there a collar? How about id tags? Have you looked about for signs? Did you find the animal in your neighborhood while on a walk? Did a child or friend find the animal? How long has the animal been unattended? Is the animal in danger or is it likely to harm a child or another animal? Are there any other people nearby? Others who noticed the dog?
It is not a good idea to assume, and that's what most soft-hearted animal lovers do. They assume they are saving an animal because it has an irresponsible owner.
Next I will write about more considerations once deciding to pick up the dog.
Basically, why do you think YOU should be the one to take responsibility for someone else's property?
Did you find the animal on a busy street?
Are you in a vehicle and is it equipped for containing an animal?
What made you think the animal was "lost" or was a "stray?"
Is the area safe?
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