What to do When You Find a Stray Animal or a Stray Pet

Call your local area animal control center if it is a wild animal. If the stray animal has a license tag and appears to be healthy and friendly, handle very carefully to avoid any infections or injuries to yourself, and to the pet. In case of doubt, let your local city/county animal control professionals handle all stray animals and stray pets.

If you do not have a contact number handy for your local area animal control center, call the local Police or Sheriff's Department and ask for their help with the stray animal you may have found. If it is an untamed/wild animal, it is almost always a good idea to let your local animal control center professionals do all the handling. If it is a stray pet that you have already secured, however, you may be asked to report/take it to the local pound or an animal shelter in your vicinity.

It is important to remember that many pets/animals carry infectious diseases that can be harmful to you. In order to reduce your chances of being scratched or bitten by stray animals, it is important to avoid any close contact with stray animals.

This is especially important in case of vulnerable people (infants, elderly, and immunocompromised individuals) that are more likely than others are to contract a disease from stray animals. Patients who may have recently received organ transplants are also increasingly more likely to get infectious diseases from animals. Extreme care must be exercised when it comes to protecting such high-risk individuals who may be at increased risk for developing infectious diseases.

Stray animals can potentially carry Cryptosporidiosis ("crypto diseases"), Toxoplasmosis ("toxo diseases"), Mycobacterium Avium Complex ("MAC diseases"), and many other infectious diseases. It is important, therefore, to avoid contact with stray/wild animals that you know nothing about.

Here are some of the precautionary measures you can take to prevent being infected by stray animals:

Wear protective (lether or thick vinyl) gloves if/when you must handle stray animals/pets.
Wash your hands well with antibacterial soap and plenty of water after coming in contact with stray animals
Do not touch animal's stool/droppings
Avoid contact with Animals body fluids and secretions
Do not handle animals that appear to be vomiting or have diarrhea
Do not bring home an unknown/unhealthy animal
Do not bring home an animal that is younger than 6 months old
Do not let a stray animal/pet lick your face/mouth or come in contact with an open cut or wound
Do not kiss a stray animal/pet
Do not let stray animal come in contact with your other pets
If you are bitten or scratched, wash the wound with soap and water, and seek medical advice immediately

The above safety tips are extremely important to protect immunocompromised individuals from the diseases that may be carried by stray animals -especially by high-risk stray/wild animals such as Reptiles, (which includes lizards, snakes, and turtles), Baby chicks, Ducklings, Monkeys and other Exotic pets. These precautionary tips also apply to animals that one may come in contact with while visiting farms, petting zoos and county fairs.