Anyone who has rescued an animal – in my case a dog – knows what it feels like to offer hope, love and security to an animal that’s been abused or left homeless.
Organizations
One of our favorite organizations is the Best Friends Animal Society, a sanctuary for animals based in Kanab, Utah.
Best Friends Animal Society is guided by a simple philosophy: kindness to animals builds a better world for all of us.
To the right, we have links to just a few organizations that can help you find an animal that needs rescuing, or donate your time or money to help care for homeless animals.
Tips
The article, How to Handle Finding a Stray Animal, provides tips on how to find the owner, how to rescue a reluctant stray, how to handle a stray if it’s sick or hurt and how to adopt a stray.
Below are great Rescue Tips, for dogs in particular:
What to do if you see a stray dog alongside the road?
• Be ready to rescue. If you know in your heart that you’re a rescuer, equip yourself to do the best possible job.
• Think about your safety first. You cannot help a dog if you become injured in the process. Look in your rear-view mirror before braking, signal your intention, pull your car completely off the road, turn off the ignition, set the parking brake, and put on your hazard lights. If you have emergency flares, prepare to use them.
• Consider the safety of the animal. A strange, frightened, and possibly sick or injured dog may behave unpredictably. If the dog looks or acts threatening, or if for any reason you feel uneasy about the situation, remain in your car.
• Use caution when approaching the dog. When approaching the dog, speak calmly to reassure him. Make sure he can see you at all times as you approach. Entice him to come to you by offering a strong-smelling food such as canned tuna or dried liver.
• If possible, restrain the animal. Create a barrier or use a carrier, leash, piece of cloth, or length of rope to keep the dog from leaving the area. Signal approaching vehicles to slow down if you cannot confine the dog, or divert traffic around him if he appears to be injured and is still on the roadway.
• Try to lure the dog into your car with food, close the door, and wait for help. But do this only if you are certain someone will come to get the dog very soon. In most cases it is not a good idea to attempt to drive somewhere with a strange dog unrestrained in your car; he may become frantic or aggressive once you’re in the car with him.
• If you are able to transport the dog, take him to the nearest animal shelter. Or, if you plan to keep the dog in the event no owner is found, notify animal control that you have the dog or that you have taken him to a veterinary hospital for treatment.
(Note: These tips come from www.Dogsonly.org)