What Do You Do If You Find A Lost Dog Or Cat? Block Talk

That dog trotting down the sidewalk or cat hiding in the bushes or meowing at your door may appear lost but may live just a few houses away.

Your first instinct may be to step in. But that’s not always wise. Let’s be honest: Not all dogs are nice. Some are trained to be aggressive. Good intentions don’t count for much in these situations. And even nice dogs may become frightened and run farther away from home. A cat may scratch and bite

So, what do you do? If the animal, especially a dog, has a tag and appears amenable to your company, is it OK to walk it home and put it back in a fenced yard? Do you knock on doors looking for the owner?

Or do you call the local animal control office to pick up the stray cat or lost dog? If the pet is a repeat offender — say, an indoor/outdoor cat that does nasty things in your perennial garden — do you respond differently?

Beyond that, are lost dogs and stray or outdoor cats a problem where you live? How do you handle it?

We’re asking for Block Talk, Patch’s exclusive neighborhood etiquette column. Just fill out the survey below. As always, we don’t collect email addresses.

About Block Talk

Block Talk is a regular Patch feature offering real-world advice from readers on how to resolve everyday neighborhood problems. If you have a neighborhood etiquette question or problem you'd like for us to consider, email beth.dalbey@patch.com with Block Talk as the subject line.

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