Have you ever adopted or brought a street dog that was mistreated or abandoned by its owner? Abandoned dogs may have a variety of physical and emotional problems. With a little affection, soap and a good vet, your dog will start living a healthy and happy life. However, if you've seen a dog abandoned by its owner, check the situation first before deciding whether you should confront the person directly or report it to the authorities.
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Method 1 of 5: Taking Your New Dog to the Vet
Step 1. Try to find the owner of the dog
If you find a street dog without an ID, take it to the vet or veterinary authority so that it can be checked for microchip. This chip records the dog's data in case the dog runs away from his house, gets lost, or is abandoned. Some street dogs get lost or separated from their owners by accident and are not neglected. In this case, even if you fall in love with the dog, you should still return it to the owner.
Even if a microchip is installed, the dog can also be thrown away by the owner. Identification of the owner through a dog microchip would be able to lead the authorities to sue the person for neglect
Step 2. Take the dog to the vet
If you have recently encountered a street dog, be sure to take him to the vet as soon as possible. You should get information about the dog as soon as possible. Your vet will be able to tell the difference between a dog that has just been soiled (perhaps separated from its owner) and a dog that has been neglected to the point of being very dirty. The vet will also find out if the dog is a victim of animal cruelty, physical abuse, and/or extreme neglect.
- The veterinarian will look for signs of illness that could explain the dog's condition, check for any cuts or injuries, and advise you on the necessary treatment for any problems.
- If you got the dog from an animal shelter, you can also ask the agency for this information. The animal shelter may have records of the dog's original owner.
Step 3. Take precautions against rabies
Dogs that don't appear to be infected with rabies at first may be infected with rabies and start showing symptoms after a few days. A definitive test for rabies infection can only be done with a brain biopsy and must wait until the dog dies or is euthanized.
- Don't try to catch dogs that seem aggressive or are acting strangely. Contact veterinary authorities to arrest the dog.
- If you want to keep one, talk to your vet about getting a blood test to see if the dog has rabies antibodies. This test will not distinguish the actual rabies virus from the rabies vaccine. However, if the result is negative, you will know that the dog has never been infected or vaccinated against rabies so it is safe to keep.
Step 4. Be sure to give the dog the proper vaccinations
In the United States, the core vaccines that must be given to dogs according to the American Animal Hospital Association's Task Force are parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis, and rabies vaccines. Each country also has a list of “core” vaccines that must be given to dogs. Ask your vet for more information about this.
- Get vaccinated against rabies. Although rare, vaccination can prevent you from getting rabies if your dog becomes infected with rabies and bites you.
- If you already have another pet dog, make sure that it does not come into contact with the adopted dog until the vaccination is complete and the behavior stabilizes.
Step 5. Talk to your vet about any emotional or behavioral problems your new dog may have
Emotional pain is often readily apparent to veterinarians who have experience dealing with abandoned animals. Your veterinarian will be able to help you identify signs that your dog's previous owner has terrorized, taunted, isolated, abandoned, or put too much pressure on him.
For example, a rejected dog may appear to be hungry for attention or excessively independent
Method 2 of 5: Cleaning Abandoned Dogs
Step 1. Consider taking your dog to a dog salon
Some stray dogs just need a bath and brushing, but many also have very matted coats. Dogs whose fur is very matted should be sedated when their coat is sheared. This is because the dog's hair sticks so tightly to the skin that it hurts when pulled out. In addition, the dog must also be very still when she is sheared so that the skin does not hurt.
Talk to your veterinarian to determine if the dog's coat is matted enough to require sedation or not
Step 2. Get rid of all parasites present in the dog
If your dog seems nervous or even a little aggressive, put a closed-toed bark on the dog. Then, comb or brush the dog's fur to remove any parasites. This is especially great if done outdoors. If your vet prescribes an ointment such as Frontline, do not bathe your dog for at least 48 hours. Also follow any other instructions given by your veterinarian to get rid of fleas and worms.
To get rid of fleas, collect the following ingredients: pure alcohol, tongs, and a tissue. Pour and rub alcohol on the tick. Then, start removing the fleas from the dog's fur. Make sure to lift the head as well as the lice may still be alive. Your dog may squeak or shake if you injure him. So calm your dog down by talking softly while petting him
Step 3. Pay attention to your dog's teeth
Dogs have strong bacteria in their mouths, but depending on their previous health or living situation, the dog's teeth may need to be cleaned. In general, veterinarians recommend brushing your dog's teeth at home every week. You can also seek professional help to do this. The frequency of professional teeth cleaning depends on the condition of the dog itself. Ask your vet for recommendations about this.
The pet shop sells special dog toothbrushes and toothpastes that feel good for dogs. To brush his teeth, hold the dog still (most likely by holding him between your legs). Hold his head with your left hand and open his mouth. Then, brush the dog's teeth in a circular motion using your right hand. When finished, give the dog a treat. In the end, your dog will love these home dental treatments
Method 3 of 5: Creating a Safe Environment
Step 1. Give the dog food
Abandoned dogs are almost always hungry. If you find one, give the dog some water to drink. If the dog is thin, feed it in small portions. Choose soft or bland foods such as white rice. Large portions or rich-tasting foods may give your dog an upset stomach because they are not used to eating. In the short term, do this frequently, such as 4-6 small meals a day. This will make the dog's stomach accustomed to eating food.
- A lean dog should gain weight slowly over several weeks or months. Try to give the dog 2-4 times a day of good quality food. Avoid foods that contain lots of cereals (products that list cereal as the first ingredient in the list of ingredients). Cereals are more difficult to digest because they ferment in the intestines and may cause the dog to have an upset stomach.
- Choose high-quality, age-appropriate food (puppies for young dogs and adult food for adult dogs). Choose foods that include real meat as the main ingredient in the product composition (not meat meal processed from animal organs and offal).
Step 2. Give your dog a place to sleep
Provide a soft blanket in a quiet corner of the room and leave the dog alone to rest. It's best to keep the dog in one room so that the dog doesn't feel startled or overwhelmed. Also provide a bed dog and give praise when using it. This is to help the dog realize that the room is his.
- At this stage, you may not know whether your dog has been trained to sleep at home or not. So, also provide a puppy pad (special pad for training dogs) at the door.
- When you wake up, give your dog a chance to go out into the yard and pee. Also take the dog outside immediately after eating and about half an hour after because the food in his stomach will start to stimulate the dog to urinate.
Step 3. Consider the dog's urination needs
Street dogs may never be trained. Don't punish your dog for urinating in the house as this may make him more hurt or scared. Pay attention to his habits and take the dog outside every few hours. Let the dog sniff and get used to the area before going to the bathroom.
Method 4 of 5: Giving the Dog the Emotional Support It Needs
Step 1. Create a daily routine for your dog as soon as possible
Dogs love routine because it helps make them feel safe. Set up a regular schedule for your dog that sets mealtimes, poop times, and walk times each day as soon as possible. Here's an example schedule that might help you:
- 07:00: wake up and let the dog out
- 08:00: give the dog breakfast
- 08:30: let the dog out
- 13:00: let the dog out
- 17:00: let the dog out
- 19:00: give the dog dinner
- 7:30pm: walk the dog
- 21:00: let the dog out
- 22:00: sleep
Step 2. Give your new dog some love
Newly stray dogs need loving and responsible people. Make your dog feel loved and know that you'll be paying attention to his future needs. Loving the dog does not mean freeing the dog to do whatever he wants without rules. Dogs actually like the feeling of security when someone leads and gives him good direction.
Pet your dog regularly and carefully. Many abandoned dogs are afraid of human hands. Dogs may even respond violently if they have been the victim of physical abuse. Until you understand their temperament, treat your dog gently and with care. However, make sure to pet it every day. By touching it, your dog will learn to trust you and feel comfortable with the touch
Step 3. Play with your dog
Remember that dogs are social creatures and love to play. Play is a great way to get close to an animal and help it get the exercise it needs. Play is also a great way to teach your dog how to behave around you. Choose from a variety of toys such as tennis balls, pull toys, rubber toys and frisbees. Take the dog outside and let the dog run around with the toys.
Step 4. Learn dog training and use reward-based methods
When your dog is back to health, you can start practicing some basic discipline. If your dog has never been trained, be patient and never punish him for misbehavior or disobedience. Ignore any mistakes or inadvertence and praise the dog for doing the right thing. Start by teaching your dog an important command like "sit down."
Try “click-and-treat” training. In this type of training, the dog will be trained by performing an action that makes you click to receive a reward. After learning how the game is played, your dog may like the "game" more than the reward. Do this exercise repeatedly. Then, try to click and see if the dog comes or not
Method 5 of 5: Dealing with People Who Abandon Dogs
Step 1. Assess the situation carefully
If you suspect that someone has abandoned your dog, make sure that you understand the situation before attempting to take any action. Look for signs that indicate that the dog is being abandoned. Some of the most obvious signs that a dog has been neglected are:
- Have no shelter
- The harness is too tight
- Cleanliness is not well maintained
- Scabies (loss of hair, body full of sores)
- Starving
Step 2. Approach the person you think has abandoned the dog
In order not to make the situation worse, the person suspected of abandoning his dog should be approached wisely. You may offend the person, or even worse, get the person to take their anger out on the dog. Invite the person to have a casual chat with you and don't accuse him of abandoning the dog. Try saying "It looks like your dog is often out of the house" or asking "How is your dog doing? What a beautiful dog." Don't offend the person.
- Try to understand the person's situation before drawing any conclusions. A dog that is not well cared for because of poverty is different from being abandoned because of hatred.
- Determine the best way to help the dog. You can offer to help take care of the dog by walking or playing when the owner is not around. Or, you may have to contact the authorities.
Step 3. If you suspect that the dog has been abandoned, report the owner to the authorities
Reporting dog owners who abandon their pets is very important. However, the legal process may take some time. Remember that while doing their best to respond to reports as quickly as possible, the authorities also have a lot of work to do. Ansa can call 112 and ask to be connected to the police. Alternatively, contact the veterinary authority, animal welfare agency or head of the RT/RW in your area.
