Advice for people who have found a pet
Be careful
Even a docile animal can suddenly react badly to strangers. Keep the animal in a confined area and away from children. Contact the local vet, pound, animal welfare society or local animal charity. These people will have a microchip scanner to check if the animal has been microchipped. If so, it won't take much time for them to trace the owner.
Contacting the owner
Microchips are the most reliable way to trace an owner, but only authorised people have scanners and access to the registration databases. However, many animals also wear identity collars and you may find contact details this way. Be careful when examining a collar tag as some animals may attempt to bite a strange hand coming close to their neck. If in any doubt, let a trained animal specialist deal with it.
Should you keep a stray?
Always make an effort to contact the owner first. If you put the animal into the hands of an animal welfare organisation, you can tell them that you would be interesting in housing it if the owner is not traced. Many strays are put down because they have no home to go to, so the animal welfare people will be happy to find a suitable caring home for any unwanted pet.
