I found a dog

Scared dogs can run into traffic or bite, even if they're friendly at home. Give the dog time.

• Stay where the dog can see you. Crouch or turn side-on so you look smaller.
• Avoid staring, reaching over its head or chasing. Chasing usually sends a dog further away.
• Let the dog come to you and sniff. Strong-smelling food like canned tuna or chicken helps.
• Watch for stiffening, growling, a tucked tail or lifted lip. If you see these, back off.
• Don't drive with an unrestrained dog loose in your car.

If you can't safely get close, that's OK. Call 311 or 305-468-5900, share the location, and keep an eye on the dog from a distance if you can. For a dog on an expressway, call Florida Highway Patrol at *347.

Pain makes even gentle dogs bite. Keep your face away from the dog's mouth, and call an emergency vet before you go so they're ready. Our emergency steps cover safe handling and who to call.

A chip is a tiny ID number under the skin. It isn't a GPS tracker and doesn't store the owner's details.

1. A vet or shelter scans the dog and gives you the number.
2. Enter it in the AAHA microchip lookup (opens in a new tab). It tells you which registry holds the chip.
3. Call that registry. They contact the owner, or give you what you need to reach them.

If the chip was never registered, the lookup may show the manufacturer, who can sometimes trace who bought it. More in Microchips, explained.

• Post on Fénix Animal Project (opens in a new tab), Petco Love Lost (opens in a new tab), local "lost and found pets" groups and Nextdoor.
• Put up flyers within about a mile of where you found the dog: corners, dog parks, vet offices, pet stores.
• Share the area and date, not your home address.
• Leave out one identifying detail, like a marking or the collar color, so you can check that callers are the real family.

Our flyer builder makes a printable notice in a few minutes.

Most people who call are exactly who they say they are. A few aren't. Before you hand a dog over:

• Ask for photos of the dog with them, vet records, or adoption or license papers.
• Ask them to describe the detail you left out of your post.
• Watch how the dog reacts to them.
• Meet in a busy, public place, and bring someone with you.
• Never pay or accept a "fee" to return a dog. See Returning a found dog safely.

A dirty, thin or collarless dog may still have a family looking for it. Dogs slip out of gates and through storms, and people search for weeks. In almost every state, the finder doesn't become the owner just by finding the dog. The legal holding period and a real effort to find the family come first.

If you'd like to keep or rehome the dog, report it, search properly, and ask Animal Services how the process works for you. If you rehome, follow the steps in rehoming a dog safely.

• A quiet room, water, a bed and a few short, calm visits are plenty for the first day.
• Keep the dog apart from your own pets until a vet checks it.
• Walk the dog on a secure leash and well-fitted collar or harness. Frightened dogs slip out easily.
• Keep checking for the family's posts every day.

That's OK. Tell Animal Services when you report, and ask what they recommend. You can still help by sharing photos and the location so the family can find their dog.

Rescues, including ours, are usually full and run by volunteers. We can't promise to take a dog in, but we're glad to point you to the right next step. Contact us and include the location, photos and what you've done so far.