There you are driving down the street, minding your own business, when you witness that dreaded sight: a stray dog.  Your heart jumps into your throat as you cringe at what may happen next.  You want to help, but what do you do?  There isn’t exactly a standard protocol on handling this situtation… or is there?
As pet care professionals, we catch ourselves in this predicament frequently and have become quite familiar with the instant need to slam on the breaks, pull over, and play doggie round-up in the middle of a busy intersection.  We will not deny the times that we have made some pretty stupid decisions in the name of dog, but we’ve also gotten wiser with experience.  There are various steps of action available to anyone who wants to do what their conscience tells them to:  help a dog in danger.

1. Find a safe spot to pull over and assess the scenario. Ok, you are going to take action here, but breath and think first.  What kind of street are you on?  If you jump out of the car, how likely is it that you will become a street pancake?  Do you have any tools to catch the dog like a leash or treats?  You aren’t going to be much help to anyone if you get injured in the process.
2. Where is the dog going to ride if you do catch them? If you have children or another dog in your car with you, we recommend avoiding this scenario.  Again, compromising the safety of yourself and your family is a bad idea.  You have no idea what that dog you are about to pick up is going to do or what condition they are in.  If you are confident that you and your vehicle can handle this situation, take action.  If not, consider pulling over and and attempting to stray the dog away from traffic at the very least.
3. Call 311 to report the stray. If catching the dog is not an option, take note of where you saw the dog (cross streets & landmarks)  so you can give the authorities the details.  If the dog is impeding traffic, they are considered a hazard and you will be forwarded to 911.  An officer will be called to respond ASAP.   If not, animal control will be sent out to capture the dog.  Either way, it only takes a minute to call.   As a frequent caller, I can tell you that they are always quick to answer and I’ve found them to be pretty quick on the scene.  Animal control may get a bad wrap, but they have saved a fair number of dogs from very dangerous situations.
4. If you can catch the dog safely, there are a number of actions you can take:

• Take the dog to your home.  If you bring a stray animal home, they should be kept separate from children and other pets.  If you do not have space for this, it may be a better idea to ask a friend for help, or contact a rescue or shelter.  Bite risk is very real in dogs that do not feel well, and it’s not always obvious when a dog is sick.  Take no chances.
• Keep the dog. We’re all in favor of adopting a homeless pet, but before you ever consider keeping a stray, you absolutely MUST post flyers in the neighborhood and list ads with photos to the various “Lost Pet” websites like: Petfinder.com, Pets911.com, and FidoFinder.com.  It is also a good idea to report the dog to the local shelter as found in case someone calls there looking for them.  This also removes any liability from you should you decide to adopt the dog later.   If you do not do your due diligence, an ex-owner can show up any time and take the dog from you.   However, dogs escape fences and run right out the front door all of the time.  Finding a dog on the street is no indication that the dog was not loved or that the owners are bad people.  Give the family at least a few weeks to contact you before you consider adopting the dog as your own.
• Contact a rescue and offer to foster the dog. So no one has called and you can’t keep this poor, homeless dog permanently.  Fostering is a labor of love and the best way to ensure that the dog you saved finds a happy home with nice people.  Different rescues have different terms on accepting dogs, but many will help you get medical care for the dog and assist in advertising them for adoption.  Austin is booming with fantastic rescues that hold huge adoption events, getting thousands of dogs adopted every year.  A little patience and a good deed completely done, and that once homeless and sick stray could live happily ever after  - all thanks to you!
• Contact a rescue to see if they will take the dog.  This is a tough one because the main thing rescues need is more foster families.  Sometimes they can take dogs in when a foster family has space, but most rescues pull dogs from the shelter as soon as space frees up.  Consider yourself very lucky if you find a rescue who can take in a found dog.
• Take the dog to a shelter.  In the U.S. alone there are 7 dogs for every 1 person and millions are euthanized every day.   This makes the outcome for a dog turned into a shelter pretty grim.  The age, breed, sex, and size of a dog all play a role in their adoptability, but do not make the mistake of thinking that Pomeranians and Yorkies don’t get put down in shelters every day.   Pure luck is the only way a dog is adopted from a shelter.  No-Kill facilities are rare and many are only no-kill as long as the animals do not get sick or go stir crazy in the kennel.  Life is hard for a homeless dog, and the big lab mixes and pit bulls have it the worst with the lowest odds for adoption.  If you do take a dog to the shelter, it is a great idea to contact local rescues and let them know about the dog – especially if the dog you turned in looks anything close to a pure bred dog.  Breed specific rescues like German Shepherd and Labrador Rescue often work with working dog groups, sending dogs with the right temperaments to train for everything from police work to handicapped services – but they have to know a dog that may suit their needs is in the shelter first.