What to Do If You Find a Stray Animal

At Rainier Veterinary Hospital, we often are asked what you should do if you find a stray. Although we love and want to help all animals, we recommend contacting one of the helpful agencies in the Greater Seattle area that can help with stray animals. Here, we’ve compiled some helpful tips for getting a pet the help they need.

Determine if the pet is feral, a stray, or just lost. Don’t let the pet’s health condition or appearance lead you to determine if it is feral, a stray, or a lost animal. Many lost or abandoned pets are more likely to look bedraggled, or appear to be in poor condition as they are frightened and not surviving well on their own. Feral cats, on the other hand, can appear well-groomed.

Secure the pet. The first step is to contain or capture the pet. We recommend reaching out to the appropriate agencies (see resources below) to help the pet if you are not able to easily contain the pet on your own. First rule of thumb, safety first—for both you and the pet.

Is the pet Injured or ill? Determine if you are willing to be financially responsible for assisting the pet. This is a very important question to answer, as the pet may need medical care. If you bring the pet to a veterinary facility on your own, the hospital will need a responsible party to cover the care. The agencies listed below may be the best resource to help the pet if you are unable to take care of its medical needs.

Get them home. Most local veterinary hospitals or shelters can easily scan for a microchip on the pet. If you are close to a local veterinary hospital, you can check the pet’s microchip there. In most cases, it is best to have the pet picked-up or taken to the appropriate agency for care and to see if they are lost. If the pet does not have a home and you are interested in having them join your family, you can make your wishes known and in most cases they will contact you if, and when, the pet becomes available.

For more tips on what to do if you encounter a stray pet, please feel free to out to one of these regional agencies assisting with lost and stray pets.