Del. officials urge public to help reunite stray pets with owners as shelters fill up
DELAWARE – Health and animal welfare officials in the First State are urging the public to try to reunite stray pets with their owners.
Shelters Crowded, Disease Spreading
The message comes after officials say shelters and rescues across the state are seeing high numbers, and the spread of canine infectious respiratory disease.
“[As a result,] the state veterinarian, under the Department of Agriculture, released a control order, restricting the transport or dogs into our state, an also the transport of dogs out of state,” said Executive Director of the Delaware Office of Animal Welfare, Christina Motoyoshi.
Motoyoshi says on top of that, it’s always better to try to get a pet back to the home it belongs in. And often, lost pets are found very close to where they live.
“It’s just less stressful for the pet, there’s less risk of disease, it’s less stressful for the owners, who is probably out there frantically looking for their pet,” Motoyoshi said.
How to Help
When a pet goes missing, Motoyoshi says owners should spread information however they can; posting in Nextdoor or Ring apps, on community Facebook pages can be especially successful, she says.
And if you find a stray pet, Motoyoshi says you should have it checked for a microchip. If you have a friendly dog on your hands, it might be a good idea to check around the neighborhood with canine in tow.
“Take a few minutes, maybe put the dog on a leash, walk it around the neighborhood,” Motoyoshi said. “Put it in your car, and drive around to see if you see someone looking for it, and you can quickly get that dog back home. You might also knock on a few neighbors’ doors and just ask them if they know where the dog lives.”
Motoyoshi also encourages owners of missing animals to check the state’s registry for lost and found pets. Animal welfare officers will post information about any stray pets they pick up on that page, and shelters and rescues will often also do so.
Adopt, Don’t Shop
Looking ahead, Motoyoshi is hoping that the news of spreading canine infectious respiratory disease doesn’t discourage would-be adopters from taking the plunge.
“There are many very healthy, loving pets that are awaiting adoption in our local shelters and rescues,” Motoyoshi said. “Brandywine Valley [SPCA] takes in the bulk of pets that are either stray, or cruelty victims. So, they also have many, many loving, health animals there looking for homes.”
