What should you do if you find a stray animal in Indianapolis?
While summer is the perfect time to take a trip, the furrier members of your family may happen to vacation, too — without running it by you first.
Summer months see the highest number of stray animals being reported and taken to shelters, Indianapolis Animal Care Services Manager of Community Outreach Roxie Randall said.
From June 1-22 alone, 280 strays were taken to the the city's Animal Care Services shelter.
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While ACS has the kennel space available to house the animals, ongoing staffing issues prevent that many from being in the building at once.
Here's what you should do if you find a stray animal in Indianapolis.
Should I keep a stray animal at my house?
In the current state of animal care facilities across the state, with animal overcrowding and staffing issues, Colleen Walker, marketing coordinator for IndyHumane, recommends holding onto the animal, if possible.
“If you are able to take the animal and house it, and you’re willing to, definitely do that,” Walker said.
Indianapolis Animal Care Services offers resources such as supplies and food for those holding on to strays, so extra expenses do not accrue, Randall said.
Randall and Walker both recommend taking the animal to a local veterinary clinic for it to be scanned for a microchip, which links the animal to its owner.
Should I bring a stray animal to the shelter?
ACS and IndyHumane take in animals by appointment only, so a stray cannot be picked up and brought straight to the shelter.
Walker said sometimes, depending on kennel space, appointments can be scheduled up to two weeks out from the initial encounter with a stray.
IndyHumane is a no-kill shelter, so animals will not be euthanized for length of stay or space.
If taken to the shelter, a four-day stray hold applies to the animal so it can be behaviorally and medically evaluated and any necessary treatments, such as spaying or neutering, can be done before they are put up for adoption.
Walker said many stray dogs only stay for up to two weeks before they are adopted.
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Fourteen days after a report has been made to the shelter or Indy Lost Pet Alert, if no one has claimed the animal, it becomes the rescuer’s.
How can I report a lost pet on social media?
If one is unable to house the animal themselves — or if the stray is aggressive or hostile — they should take a photo and post a “sighting” on Indy Lost Pet Alert (indylostpetalert.com), a website dedicated to reuniting lost animals with their owners.
Posting on social media and neighborhood networking sites like Nextdoor will increase the chances of bringing the pet home, too.
Stray animal reports can also be made 24/7 on RequestIndy, an app which allows people to request non-emergency city services and report other issues. RequestIndy can be downloaded from iOS and Android app stores.
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In encountering a stray, any productive measures taken to aid the animal are encouraged and helpful, Walker said.
“Anything that you do is right,” Walker said. “You can’t go wrong, as long as you’re not harming the animal and you’re telling people that you saw it, putting water out — even if that’s the only thing you do — it’s right.”
How can I prevent my pet from escaping the house?
More strays are taken to the shelter during the summertime, Randall said, for a multitude of reasons. If an animal is in heat, they are more likely to try to search for a mate. Also, with the in-and-out foot traffic, it’s much easier for a pet to sneak out through the front door.
Additionally, most strays are found within 2 miles of their home, so Randall recommends paying attention to the pets in your neighborhood.
How can I get my pet microchipped?
Walker said microchipping your pet is an easy, non-invasive way to assure the return of your pet, should it escape.
Microchipping is just like getting a vaccination, except the needle is about the size of a grain of rice, Randall said. The microchip is not a GPS tracker, so it cannot use signals to detect the location of an animal — it is merely an identification number that corresponds with the owner’s information.
Both ACS and IndyHumane offer microchipping for $10. Call ahead to schedule, and bring your pet, veterinary records, and your ID to the appointment.
IndyHumane has two offices:
7929 N. Michigan Rd. can be reached at 317-872-5650
456 N. Holmes Avenue can be reached at 317-602-3423
ACS is located at 2600 S. Harding St. and can be reached via phone at 317-327-1397.
You can reach Pulliam Fellow Griffin Wiles at GWiles@gannett.com or on Twitter at @griffinwiles.
This article originally appeared on Indianapolis Star: What to do if you find a stray animal in Indianapolis
