Microchip Scan and Tattoo Exam
If the dog is friendly and you have him leashed, take him to the nearest veterinary hospital to scan for a microchip and examine for a tattoo. If a microchip or tattoo is located, owners can be contacted through the microchip company or the facility that provided the tattoo at time of spay or neuter.
Flyers
Take a picture of the dog and print out flyers to put up around the neighborhood where he was found. Include the photo, the words found dog, and a telephone contact number. Do not list more information to ensure that any inquiries are genuine. Let callers describe their missing pet to you.
Network with Neighbors
Knock on neighborhood doors and contact friends in the area to help network for the owner.
Contact local shelters and Emergency Hospitals
Notify local Animal Care and Control facilities as well as any local Humane Society or rescue shelter. Regardless of information received over the phone, you will have to physically visit these facilities to hang flyers and/or post found or missing animals. Owners will often contact local emergency facilities in the case that their pet was brought in, so be sure to put a phone call in with the description of the pet and your contact information.
Make arrangements if no owner is found and you need to surrender the dog to Animal Control.
Most Animal Care and Control facilities do not adopt out Pit Bulls to the public. For example, Charlotte Mecklenburg Animal Care and Control allows Pit Bulls to be housed at the shelter for 72 hours for their owners to claim them. If they are not claimed, they must be pulled by an approved rescue group, (such as APBF) or they are euthanized. Keep in mind that the first place owners are directed to look for their lost pet is at Animal Care and Control. If you do not let the shelter house them for the 72 hours, you are significantly reducing the chance that an owner who is searching will find their lost dog.Before calling Animal Control, contact your local Pit Bull friendly rescues to pull the dog for you and/or potentially line up a foster home for the dog if an owner does not claim them. You can also network through your social sites such as facebook, twitter, your blog, etc. to help locate a foster home to work with the rescue. If an owner does not claim the dog after the 72 hour time period, a rescue can help provide a safe place to stay until a new home is found or an owner comes forward.
