Found a dog late at night: what to do with it until morning
If it is safe, keep the dog overnight in a closed room away from your pets, check for ID, and call the shelter when it opens. If not, call for help.
Keep it overnight if you safely can
If the dog is calm and you can handle it safely, keep it overnight in a closed room or a secure spot, away from your pets and children, and call the shelter when it opens. San Diego Humane Society asks finders to do this when they can keep the animal safely, and Rochester, New York, asks finders to hold a found dog for up to 48 hours if able. If the dog is hurt, aggressive or running in traffic, do not try this yourself. Rochester tells people in that position to call 911 so that an officer can be sent. Rules vary by city, so check your own agency’s after-hours number if you can find it.
Decide whether to approach
You do not owe this dog a risk to yourself. The CDC says not to approach an unfamiliar dog, even if it seems friendly or healthy. If one approaches you, it advises standing still and calm, avoiding direct eye contact, and waiting for the dog to pass or slowly backing away. A common tip from rescue workers is to let the dog come to you and to turn sideways. If it stays relaxed, you can offer a leash, a belt or a rope through the collar. If it growls, stiffens or backs away, stop. Stay in your car if you need to, note the exact location, take a photo, and call. Do not chase a dog near a road. Our post on how to catch a scared lost dog covers that situation.
If you cannot keep it tonight
There may be nowhere for the dog to go until morning, so make calls in this order. If it is an emergency, call 911. Otherwise try animal control, using your county or city number, then the police non-emergency line, and ask whether an officer can come. San Diego Humane Society gives finders a phone option for the times when they cannot keep an animal safely overnight, or when it needs medical care. Your own area may or may not have one. If the dog is hurt and you can move it safely, a 24-hour emergency vet is the place to go. Call first and ask what they do with stray dogs and what, if anything, you would be charged.
Quick checks at the curb
Before you drive anywhere, spend two minutes on ID. Check the collar for a tag, a license number or a phone number written on it, as Rochester suggests. Call any number you find, even at midnight. Owners of a missing dog tend to answer. Take photos of the dog, the nearby street signs and the place where you found it, because the address matters later for the owner and the shelter. Walk the dog a short way if it is calm, and look for a person searching or an open gate. Ask anyone awake nearby. Best Friends Animal Society says most lost dogs are found within a mile of home, so ten minutes here may solve the whole thing.
Set up a safe spot
Use a bathroom, laundry room, garage without hazards, or a crate. Close the door. Keep the dog separate from your pets and small children, as both San Diego Humane Society and Rochester advise. A found dog’s vaccination history is unknown, and it is stressed, so skip the introductions. Put down a bowl of water, a towel and something it can lie on. Keep the leash on until you are sure of the door. Do not tie the dog outside, and do not leave it in an unfenced yard, as frightened dogs can run or slip a collar. If you want to offer food, keep it plain and small, and watch for vomiting or weakness. Those are reasons to call a vet.
If you are bitten
A bite from an unknown dog needs attention, even if it looks small. The CDC says to wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water. Press a clean cloth on a deep wound, and call 911 if you cannot stop the bleeding or you feel faint. See a healthcare provider if you do not know whether the dog has had its rabies vaccine, which is the case with any stray, if the wound is deep or infected, or if your last tetanus shot was more than 5 years ago. The CDC also says to report dog bites to your local animal control agency or police department. Keep the dog contained so that it can be checked.
Post before you sleep
Twenty minutes tonight can get the dog home by breakfast. Post photos in local Facebook and Nextdoor groups with the cross streets where you found it. Check lost dog posts for a match. Many shelters also take found reports online, so file one tonight if yours does. Rochester offers one online. Hold back one detail so that you can test anyone who claims the dog. Use your phone number and not your home address. If you get a call, ask for a photo with the owner in it. Be wary of anyone asking you for money. See our post on lost pet scams.
First thing in the morning
Call your shelter or animal control when it opens, and file a found report if you have not done so. Some places have a short deadline: San Diego Humane Society says local law requires the shelter of jurisdiction to be notified within 24 hours. Then get a microchip scan. Best Friends Animal Society says most vets and pet supply stores will scan a found pet at no cost, and Rochester calls a chip the fastest and best way to find an owner. Do not simply drive to the shelter. The Animal Foundation in Las Vegas says finders may be asked to make an appointment, and it encourages looking for the owner first. Ask: Can I bring this dog in today, or should I hold it?
Sources
San Diego Humane Society: sdhumane.org/services/lost-and-found/found-animals.html. Rochester Animal Services: cityofrochester.gov/departments/department-recreation-and-human-services/what-do-if-you-find-lost-dog. CDC, Dogs: cdc.gov/healthy-pets/about/dogs.html. Best Friends Animal Society: bestfriends.org/node/572187. The Animal Foundation, found pets: animalfoundation.com/what-we-do/lost-found/found-pets.