What to do when the dog runs away? What’s the best way to prevent dogs from running away? This post was about dogs escaping from their homes, what can be done to locate these animals and how to prevent it to avoid unwanted escapes. So this post will answer the question of many tutors who deal with runaway dogs.
Dog ran away
Dogs should not run away from their owners due to the great risks that the street brings to these animals. That’s why tutors should prevent themselves as much as possible to avoid unwanted leaks.
But what are the main problems of dogs’ unwanted escape? First the dog’s health status. Dogs in the streets, away from their tutors, dogs can fight with other animals, they can have contact with sick dogs and end up contracting some diseases, in addition to accidents that can kill the dog.
Dog fights in the streets are responsible for wounds and diseases transmission such as rabies. Thus, it is important to prevent the animal from running away or having access to the street alone.
Dogs may fight with each other to protect the environment, or as a way to avoid unwanted mating. Females that are not in heat can become quite aggressive towards males who want to mate, for example.
Many diseases that dogs can contract on the street can be prevented with the use of vaccines and even deworming. That’s why it’s important to keep appointments with the veterinarian periodically. Dogs can be protected with the use of flea and tick medication that can also be present on the streets.
Main diseases that dogs can have contact on the street:
- Parvovirus;
- Distemper;
- Rabies;
- Leptospirosis;
- Cryptococcosis;
- Worms;
- Tick diseases.
A domestic dog is not prepared to walk on the street alone, so dogs that are running away can suffer various types of accidents. The most common type of accident is being hit by a dog.
Because dogs are not prepared for the street environment, they may end up not seeing a car. Many dogs can still run after cars and motorcycles and can be run over by third parties.
The dogs running over can in addition leave the animal extremely injured and even kill it. By this, all caution is little. In addition, accidents with people, where dogs can get scared and end up attacking children and even adults.
Angry dogs can be dangerous and should not walk the streets alone or without muzzles, these animals can attack people and even kill a human.
Dogs, especially animals that have not been neutered, may be interested in going out to the streets to look for animals for breeding. So, some dogs can reproduce improperly, male dogs can reproduce with several female dogs in just one escape. After breeding, the number of puppies abandoned on the streets increases.
Dogs that run away can be considered a public health problem because they are animals that can contaminate street animals with disease, or even be contaminated by some diseases on the streets and take them home. In addition, unneutered dogs contribute to the increase of the stray dog population, increasing the problem of canine population control.
How to prevent the dog from running away
To prevent dogs from having access to the street without the owner’s permission. The ideal is to always leave the doors locked, as the dogs can end up opening some doors and escaping to the street.
It should always be checked that the doors that give access to the street are closed, as it is only necessary to be careless for the dogs to run into the street.
Dog training can help prevent unwanted escapes. A well-trained dog will respect open doors and prevent escapes. However, you must be very careful, because even with well-trained dogs some can get distracted with other animals and even objects on the street, which makes them run away.
Neutering can reduce dogs’ interest in running outside. Neutered dogs in general lose the need to go outside looking for a sexual partner, as well as reducing the demarcation of the animals’ territory, thus reducing aggression by dogs, especially between male dogs.
On walks, always walk with the animal on a very sturdy lead. You should never take the dog for a walk without a leash, because in the external environment, dogs can be frightened by several factors, which makes them run away.
How to find the runaway dog?
To find the dog that ran away, you can use photos of the animal on social media and even posters distributed at the dog’s escape site. Many owners do searches and ask from house to house if anyone has seen the lost pet.
In addition, nowadays there are traceable tags that can be placed on dog collars. These trackable tags can show the dogs location, making it easier for owners to find their dogs.
However, many of these tags have a very high price, so many dogs do not have this type of technology. And also, if the dog loses the leash, or is not using it at the time of the escape, the owner will not be able to locate the lost dog.
In addition, there are tags that can be placed on the dog’s collars with the animal’s name and their owner’s contact information. This makes it possible for people who find lost dogs to contact the dog’s guardians.
There are microchips that can be implanted in dogs that can help veterinarians identify stray dogs. Through the dogs identification by a microchip reader device, veterinarians can have access to the owners information, so it is possible to contact them so that they can look for the lost dogs.
What to do after finding the dog that ran away?
The ideal is to separate the dog that has escaped from the other animals and leave it in quarantine until it is consulted by a veterinarian who will carry out tests to certify the animal’s health. After the animal is not diagnosed with any disease, it will be able to live normally in the home of its owners.
Attention should be paid to dogs that have already run away once, as there is a high chance that the animal will run away again if given the opportunity. Dogs are excellent companions, but they are pack animals, so many dogs may like to run away to have contact with other animals to play and have fun.
Conclusion
Lost dogs can be a big problem for public health so dogs should be prevented from running away. In addition, several accidents can happen putting the dog’s life at risk. The most aggressive dogs can still injure other people. There are several ways to prevent animals from running away and so tutors should be very careful. To locate the dogs you can use several tactics, however the dogs must have at least one identification item. If the animal does not have collars with identification or microchips, the owners can choose to use posts on the internet, searches and even posters with a photo of the lost animal.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs): Dog ran away
What to do if my dog ran away?
If your dog has run away you can do the following:
- Look for the dog in the region where it was lost;
- Make collective searches, posters and pamphlets in addition to disseminating on social networks;
- Contact clinics, NGOs, shelters and pet shops;
- Try to track the animal if it has traceable tags;
- Use dog search platforms.
How long can a dog be missing?
There is no period in which the dog can be missing. Ideally, start the search as soon as possible. Research shows that after 12 hours in which the dog is missing, the chances of finding him decrease dramatically.
When the puppies are going to die will they go away?
Dogs have a habit of self-protection, when they feel that something is not right, they tend to hide and even hide. Despite being domesticated, this act is one of the remnants of the wildest side of the animal.
References
Beck, A. M. (2002). The ecology of stray dogs: a study of free-ranging urban animals. Purdue University Press.
Ribeiro, V. L. S., Weber, M. A., Fetzer, L. O., & Vargas, C. R. B. D. (1997). Espécies e prevalência das infestações por carrapatos em cães de rua da cidade de Porto Alegre, RS, Brasil. Ciência Rural, 27, 285-289.
Picture from Flirck.com
