|
|
|
Be ready to rescue. Here are some things to have in your car at all times:
Safety First Back to Top Think about safety first. You cannot help a cat or dog if you become injured yourself in the process. Look in your rear-view mirror before braking, signal your intentions, pull your car completely of 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 animal may behave unpredictably. A sudden move by you may spook the cat or dog and cause the animal to bolt possibly right onto the highway. If the animal looks or acts threatening, or if for any reason you feel uneasy about the situation, remain in your car. Cautious Approach Back to Top Use caution when approaching the animal. Even a small animal can inflict a painful wound, and if a cat or dog whose vaccination status is unknown bites you, you will be advised to undergo preventive treatment for rabies. While approaching, speak calmly and reassuringly. Make certain the cat or dog can see you at all times as you approach, and perhaps entice the animal to come to you by offering a strong-smelling food such as canned tuna or dried liver. Calm Containment Back to Top Try to lure the animal into your car with food, close the door, and wait for help. But do this only of you are certain someone will come to get the animal very soon. In most cases it is not a good idea to attempt to drive somewhere with a strange animal unrestrained in your car; as the cat or dog may become frantic or aggressive once you are in the car with them. If possible, restrain the animal. Create a barrier and use a carrier, leash, piece of cloth, or length of rope to keep the animal from leaving the area. Signal approaching vehicles to slow down if you cannot confine the animal, or divert traffic around the animal if he or she appears to be injured and is still on the roadway. Alert the Experts Back to Top If you are not able to safely restrain the animal, call the local police or animal control agency. Do so whether or not the cat or dog is injured, and whether or not the animal appears to be stray or owned (meaning the animal is wearing an identification tag or flea collar or has recently been groomed). If you have a telephone in your car, call the local animal care and control agency (in rural areas, call the police or sheriff) and report the situation. Leave your phone or beeper number with the dispatcher and try to get the estimate of how long it may take someone to respond. If possible, stay on the scene to watch over the animal until help arrives. Make sure you report to authorities the animal’s precise location. If you are able to transport the cat or dog, take the animal to the nearest animal shelter.
Responsible Stewardship Back to Top Assuming Ownership If you plan to keep the animal in the event no owner is found, notify animal control that you have the animal or that you have taken him to a veterinary hospital for treatment. Keep of copy of the ID to prove your good intention should any questions arise later. Many times, the dog or cat you find along the highway will turn out to be unowned, unwanted, and unclaimed. Even so, the person finding the stray dog or cat does not automatically become the owner or keeper until he has satisfied certain state and/or local requirements. Be sure to check the laws in your state, county, or town, contact your local animal control agency, humane society, or SPCA. If the owner is found, do not assume you are dealing with an irresponsible person. Accidents can happen to anyone. The frantic owner may be looking everywhere for their beloved pet. Relinquishing the Rescue Understand the limitations of animal care and control agencies. Once you have taken the initiative, time, and trouble to rescue a cat or dog along the highway, you may be surprised to find that the rest of the pet care community may not necessarily rush forward to do what you see as its part. For instance, you may take a badly injured stray dog to animal control, only to learn that the agency is unable to provide expensive surgery to treat the dogs injuries and, to relieve him from his suffering, euthanizes him instead. A cat with relatively minor injuries may be kept for only the mandated stray holding period and then euthanized. Virtually all-animal control facilities have severe budgetary or space limitations and must make painful decisions on how best to allocate their inadequate resources. Emergency Care Before you take an injured animal to a private veterinary hospital for treatment, be willing to assume financial responsibility for the animal before treatment begins. Anyone who is committed to trying to save injured stray animals should discuss the financial issues in advance with the veterinarian.
Important Questions to Ask Back to Top If you are uncertain about whether or not to assist or keep an animal you see alongside the highway, be sure to ask yourself:
Thinking these issues through in advance may help the next time you see a distressing site on the side of a road. Updated December 2009 Back to Top # |