What to do when you see stray dogs

Every year, hundreds, if not possibly hundreds, of stray dogs are discovered all over the world with no one in sight and nowhere to go. These are frequently in grave danger, whether due to neglect on the part of the owners or unforeseen circumstances that cause the dog to become lost and scared. What can be done in these situations can be a difficult decision that must be made immediately. Driving past a suspected stray dog on the side of the road could result in the dog's death minutes later. What to do when you find one is different in almost every case, but there are some general guidelines to follow in order to save the life of a scared stray and put the mind of the loving owner at ease.

We saw a few stray dogs caught by barangay personnel in our area just a week ago. We noticed two cages in the barangay hall's corner, and all of the dogs were crying and whining. I had no idea there was a campaign to capture stray dogs and imprison them temporarily in the hall. Because those dogs aren't used to being caged, and five dogs were packed in a single cage, they were crying and barking the entire time, which drew our attention.

When I saw them from a distance, my heart broke. As a fur mom of three dogs, who can give me so much joy and can consume my energy throughout the day, I felt guilty. The guilt feeling of having my dogs enjoy warm place to sleep, good food and favorite treats and all the vaccinations they have, my heart breaks into pieces. With no hesitations and all. I quickly prepared food for them and fed them with the help of the barangay. When night fell, they were still caged, and their owners, if they had any, had no idea they had been captured. I posted videos and posts on social media to inform the public. Hearing them cry broke our hearts, so we contacted some people for advice on how to reduce the dogs' stress and fear.

How to help stray dogs lessen they fear and stress when captured: 

To begin with, you should always be mindful that the dog in issue might be extremely violent because it is terrified, lost, and possibly very hungry. Even if you believe them to be a non-violent person, you should still take great care not to startle or frighten them in any way. A startled dog may easily wander onto a busy road or into a dangerous place. Use a strong-smelling meal, like tuna or another favorite, and talk to the dog gently and quietly to convince them that you are not there to hurt them and to draw them closer.

With extra precaution you can reassure the dog by petting and talking to them will make it simpler for others to handle them once you've finally got the dog under control and have no concerns about aggressive behavior. Attempt to restrain the dog with a leash or other form of control if you have one, taking care not to frighten the animal. When you have successfully captured them, or if you have encountered other difficulties that made capture difficult, you should contact the local animal care or control authorities for assistance to ensure the proper protocols are followed and the animal's safety will be guaranteed.

If this had been done with the stray dogs we observed, I suppose they wouldn't have become weary of wailing and barking all night, and it could have lessened the aggressive behavior that caused several dogs to run away during the transfer.