Thank you so much Jodi; this is such a wonderful post and much needed information! When I found a dog recently, everyone told me to not call the pound, and some people believe that a dog will be PTS if you do this, but most pounds will allow you to foster a dog until the owner is found. I urge everyone to read rule two again.
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2. By law, you are required to turn found dogs over to local authorities (animal shelter, pound) where their owner/guardian will be able to claim them. One of the primary reasons why lost dogs are not reunited with their families is that the animal shelter is the first (and primary) location where dog owners search for their lost dogs but it is typically the last location where found dogs are taken (due to the fear that the dog will be euthanized). Very few municipal shelters have the resources available to house lost and stray animals more than three days. If you are not willing to take the dog to the shelter, most shelters will allow you to foster (house) the dog while also filing a found report by providing the description, the location where you found it, and your contact information. We suggest that you also create a FOUND DOG flyer to mail or take down to the shelter so they can post it on a bulletin board. Then if the owner/guardian shows up at the shelter searching for his or her dog, the shelter can put the family directly in touch with you.
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I also love the part about think "Lost Not Stray." A dog, especially a yorkie can look very bad, after a short time on it's own, and may appear scared, but this doesn't mean that the owner has abused them. The website has so many great resources and links for reporting a lost or found dog. Here's their page of links to other sites where you can report a lost or found dog.
Recovery Tips: Lost Pet Related Links | Missing Pet Partnership