Take a picture of the animal. If it flees, report the sighting .
Dogs Prepare
Ensure your safety and consider the dog’s temperament. If the dog appears aggressive or injured, contact your local animal control immediately.
Ask yourself:
Is the dog wearing a collar?
Would you be able to defend yourself from it?
What tools and resources do you have to catch the animal?
If you catch it, what next?
People in the neighborhood would likely help by providing backup, a leash and collar, some food, and may even offer to house the animal if you cannot. Consider calling a friend, asking people walking their neighborhood, and knocking on doors.
Do Not Chase
Chasing a dog will make it fearful, push it further from its home or shelter, and increase the chances of being it being hit by a vehicle or attacking a human. If you manage to catch the dog this way, then it may attack you.
Use Calming Signals
Calming signals are the ways dogs communicate to avoid conflict.
Approach slowly by taking a curved path with your eyes looking down.
Toss some food or treats from a distance to establish a positive association with your presence.
Sitting, kneeling, lying down, turning away, or making yourself look smaller are all very effective ways to lure the dog closer. Reward the dog for being close and establish trust. Patience is key.
When reaching out, extend your arm slowly with your palm facing down and fingers curled in to allow the dog to sniff the back of your hand.
Calming and decisively leash the dog. Slip leads are excellent for this.
Create a Confined Space
If possible, secure the dog in a small, enclosed area like a backyard, a fenced-off space, or a garage. Close any gates or entrances to minimize the risk of the dog escaping.
Seek Professional Help
If you are unable or not comfortable to catch the stray dog on your own, contact your local animal control or a professional animal rescue organization. They have the expertise and resources to safely catch and handle stray dogs.
Be Ready Next Time
Create a kit to store in your vehicle and at home. Some items to include:
Leash and collar
Slip lead
Dog bowl
Wet cat or dog food
Bag of solid treats
Small bottle of water
If you are serious about catching strays in your neighborhood, consider buying a catch pole or humane traps. Contact your local animal care/control organization to see if they will loan you any of these tools. Ask them about volunteering or apply for a position to serve your community and help animals in need.
Cats Cats are small, evasive, and have sharp claws. Brute force methods of catching the cat will likely fail and leave you wounded.
Is the cat feral?
Feral cats are unowned cats that are typically fearful of humans.
See our feral guide for more information.
Catch the Cat
Stray or outdoor cats can be hard to distinguish. Many owners allow their cats to roam despite the harmful effects on local wildlife and danger to the cat.
First, take a picture.
Check the Lost and Found and social media to see if anyone lost a pet.
Try to befriend the cat by offering it cat food. Have a crate close by if it allows you to pick it up.
Lure the cat into a crate, car, or other confined space with food. Be nearby to close the door or trunk behind it.
Your local animal control agency may provide you a humane trap, a catch pole, or net.
View more tips to catch a cat.
If you cannot catch the cat, then report the sighting .
