Stray pets are a prevalent problem in most communities. Some get lost while others get abandoned, and this has resulted in overpopulation in many animal shelters. Luckily, there are numerous ways of helping stray pets. But at the same time, you want to be safe and do not want to want to get hurt. Check out the following tips on how to help stray animals.
Work out whether you should help catch the animal
The first step to helping a stray pet involves catching them. However, this may not be easy; you must be sure of your safety and that of the pet as well. Besides, you won’t catch the pet if you incur injuries in the process. Approach the animal cautiously, and if you’re uncomfortable, contact animal control for help.
Exercise caution
If the pet looks sickly or is very aggressive, don’t rush to help. Sick pets can easily infect you or pass rabies, fleas, worms, and scabies, and these can negatively affect your health. Remember that a stray or lost pet is likely to be very frightened and, in most cases, injured. Things like opening your car door will make them defensive.
Avoid going near the animal, and instead restrain them using a barrier, a leash, or a rope. If you are lucky to get close, keep a distance to avoid bites and scratches. Moreover, be calm and speak in low tones, and this assures the animal that you don’t intend to hurt them.
Entice the pet
Try to bring the animal close by offering treats such as food items. Examples of things to give are strong-smelling food like canned tuna and dried liver. But, this works well if you’re that the animal control team is almost arriving. Avoid attempting this if you have an unrestrained pet in your vehicle. They may get aggressive, and; this will ruin your attempts.
Seek help
Although you may catch the pet, restraining them may be a real challenge. The best way is to seek help from animal control or the police. Don’t hesitate to do this, even if the animal is not injured or has no form of identification. Give precise details on the location, leave your contacts, and stay at the scene until help arrives.
Provide shelter
Most towns have a refuge for stray pets, and you can channel your support to help local animal shelters. Some of the things to donate include food items, drugs, and many other essential items that stray pets may require. Moreover, you can take the pet to the animal shelter or your home. But, if you opt to take it with you, inform animal control that you have the pet in your home. If the pet has an identification tag, keep it safe until you find the owner. The animal may look sickly, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that they are sick, it may be an indicator that they have been wandering for some time.
All in all, if you have other pets in your home, keep them separately, the new pet could be sick or aggressive towards your pets. Later on, take quality images of the new pet and post in the local newspaper or post a notice in the area where you found the animal. This way, it will be easier for owners of all ages to locate the pet.
Keep your own pets safe
The last thing a pet parent wants is for their animal to disappear or get lost. To prevent such a situation, make sure your dog or cat is microchipped and wears a personalized dog collar with their identification information.
Conclusion
Reuniting a pet to the owner is the best thing you can do. However, there are steps to help you catch the animal and, at the same time, stay safe. Although many are anxious, frantic, and aggressive, CBD dog treats will come in handy. If you’re rescuing a dog, give them, and this will calm the pet down, making it easier to catch them. If you have come across stray pets in your neighborhood, follow the above tips, and help a homeless pet get shelter.
