Straying.

Most of the dogs taken in by rescues have been at a public shelter and been placed on the euthanasia list, either because they've run out of time or because they have some treatable health problem, ranging from heartworm disease to demodex mange to sniffles, that shifts them from "adoptables" to "the list." In these cases, we know something about the dog, at least from his or her time in the shelter, and we know that there are no other options. The right thing to do is clear, even though there are not always sufficient resources to do it.

But what about strays? There have been a lot of those lately. They are just as needy as dogs in the shelter (and many dogs in the shelter were first strays), but the right thing to do is not always so clear-cut. And often there are many ways to do the right thing by the dog in need.

The right thing surely happened on Saturday for a skinny, injured black pit bull mix who was found at Morningside Nature Center in east Gainesville. A Morningside employee called Animal Services and a patient, compassionate officer came to get the dog. She carried him to the car and reassured the worried finder that the dog would receive medical treatment.


This dog was doubly lucky, because not only did he get medical treatment but the finder offered to foster him once he was ready to leave the shelter. In this case, going to the shelter was the best option, since the dog needed immediate medical care. The finder did all the right things, not only calling Animal Services but also calling a dog-savvy friend who immediately connected her with rescue folks who will help her rehome the dog if he is not claimed or adopted at the shelter.

Even if a dog is not injured, taking him or her to the shelter is not always a bad option. Shelter staff will scan the dog for a microchip, which might find the dog's people, and worried owners usually know (or are told) to look at the shelter for their missing pet.

Sometimes finders do not want to take a dog to the shelter, however, for various reasons. They may be willing to foster the dog themselves and not want to expose the dog to the stress of shelter life, which affects some dogs more than others. If you find a stray and decide not to take him or her to the shelter, here are some steps to follow. First and most important, try to find the dog's owner! Even a dog who looks rough may have frantic people missing him or her. Even the best-loved dog will look skinny and sad after being lost for a while, so don't assume the dog has been deliberately abandoned or abused (though that does happen... more on that later). To find the owner, go to a vet or the shelter to have the dog scanned for a microchip, send a description to Animal Services, put "found dog" ads and flyers up, and use a service like Gainesville Pet Finders (www.facebook.com/gainesvillepetfinders).

If you don't locate the dog's owner, talk to rescue organizations about getting support while you look for a new home. If you are willing to foster the dog, and if the dog has a sweet and stable personality, most often a rescue group will help with advertising him or her on Petfinder and at adoption events. It will help if you can have the dog tested for heartworms, vaccinated, and spayed or neutered if needed. Do not expect a rescue group to find a foster home for your found dog, however. They are always full with dogs who have been taken directly from the euthanasia list at the shelter. If you offer to foster, however, you will usually find a lot of support.

Sometimes you know no one is looking for the dog. Last week, a man getting into a bus at the downtown station tried to bring his female pit bull mix with him. The driver told him the dog needed to be in a crate. The dog's owner got on the bus and left the dog behind. A kind-hearted person who witnessed the abandonment took the dog with her. This was not a stray, but a dumpee, but some of the same dilemmas arose: do I take the dog to the shelter? If not, what can I do? The dog's savior could not keep her long, because she lives in an apartment with cats and was already at her maximum number of pets.


Fortunately, she found another big-hearted person who agreed to foster the dog, now named Indigo. Indigo is having a great time at her foster home, revealing her sweet personality and ability to get along with other dogs.

Indigo's finder did not want to take her to the shelter because she knew there was no heartbroken owner in search of her, and she knew that a black pit bull mix, however sweet, may not have good odds at the shelter. She was smart about asking her network of dog-loving friends for help. Even though she could not keep Indigo, her commitment to finding a good solution probably saved the dog's life.

In some cases it is not just possible but certain that a dog will not leave a shelter alive. Last week we were asked for help with a pit bull type dog who was abandoned at a dog park in Miami. Because of the ban on pit bulls in Miami-Dade, he would have been euthanized at the shelter there.


Fortunately, his finders were dog people and knew not to surrender him. They were able to place him with a rescue in a different county, where he will be available for adoption.

These dogs all got lucky. Most strays probably do not. Even if you do take a found dog to a shelter, you can improve their odds by contacting rescue groups and asking them to consider "pulling" the dog if she or he ends up on the euthanasia list. If you can offer support, such as help with vet and spay/neuter costs, that will make it more feasible for them to add the dog to their program. While the dog is at the shelter, you can make up flyers and post ads to encourage prospective adopters to visit the shelter. The more detail you can give, the more likely a rescue group or potential adopter will take a second look at your found dog.

Much more good advice is available here -- http://www.badrap.org/node/28. And if you live in or near Gainesville, check www.facebook.com/plentyofpitbulls, where friendly dog-loving volunteers will do their best to help you do your best for the dogs who find you.