Domestic & companion animals
Dogs, cats, pet birds, rabbits and farm animals
Most domestic animals we meet are frightened, not dangerous. Fear changes behavior, so calm distance keeps both of you safe while help is arranged.
Not sure what kind of animal or help is needed? Report it anyway.
Safety comes before rescue — always.
- Call 911 or animal control if a dog is actively threatening or has bitten someone.
- If a person or pet was bitten, seek medical care and contact local animal control or public health as required where you are.
- If an animal is locked in a hot vehicle, call 911 immediately. Do not break a window yourself.
- Never step into traffic. A loose animal in a roadway is a job for law enforcement or animal control.
While you wait
Do
- Watch from a safe distance and note the exact location, direction of travel and time.
- Speak softly and stay low and sideways — direct eye contact reads as a threat.
- Offer water in a shallow dish, placed and stepped away from.
- Check for a collar or tag only if the animal willingly approaches and is calm.
- Contain a friendly animal in a fenced yard, vehicle or room if you can do it safely.
- Take a photo from where you already are and file a report with a map pin.
Don't
- Don't chase — chasing pushes frightened animals into traffic.
- Don't reach over a fence, into a car, or into a hiding space.
- Don't assume an animal outdoors is abandoned; many are owned and lost.
- Don't rehome or give away a found animal — a stray hold period protects real owners.
- Don't feed a large amount of food or milk to an animal that may need surgery.
- Don't attempt to muzzle, restrain or transport an injured animal without guidance.
What we can and cannot do
Direct response
Domestic animal cases are active nationwide. Help may be direct where available and authorized, or coordinated through qualified local resources.
Reuniting first
Our first goal for a healthy found pet is reunion with its family — not intake. Lost and found reports are matched by area, description and date.
Medical care
Veterinary care is provided by licensed veterinarians. We coordinate and fund care; we do not diagnose or treat animals ourselves.
Owner surrender
Intake capacity depends on foster homes and funding. Requests are reviewed case by case, and we will always be honest about capacity.
Stray hold, licensing and bite-reporting requirements vary by state and locality. When an animal must legally go to an agency or municipal shelter, we coordinate within that law rather than working around it.