What to Do When You See a Roaming Dog: A Guide to Keeping Yourself and Your Dog Safe
Encountering a roaming dog can be an unsettling experience. Whether you’re walking through your neighborhood or driving along a rural road in Fresno County, seeing a loose dog prompts many concerns.
Is the dog lost? Is it aggressive or friendly? How can you help without putting yourself or the dog in danger?
What happens if an aggressive dog approaches you? Or worse, attacks?
This blog post will guide you through the appropriate steps when encountering a roaming dog. The primary goal is to protect yourself, your dog, and others nearby.
Walk With Awareness
While this could be considered common sense, we often let our guard down in familiar places. Scan the area as you walk. Always be on the lookout for something to protect yourself with – anything that you can hold in your hand and brandish as a weapon can deter a dog. Don’t obstruct your hearing with earphones – keep one out of your ear so you can listen to your surroundings. It’s also a good idea to have a cell phone with you in case of an emergency.
Assess Stray Dogs From a Distance
If you see a stray dog approaching you, don’t walk towards it. Stay calm and observe. Evaluate the dog’s behavior and body language. Signs of aggression can include growling, bared teeth, a stiff posture and/or tail wagging, raised fur, or direct staring. Conversely, a friendly dog might wag its tail, have relaxed ears, and appear curious rather than hostile.
If the dog is moving toward you, do not panic. Stand still with your body turned slightly to the side, avoiding direct eye contact. This non-threatening posture can help keep the dog from feeling cornered or provoked.
Call Animal Control
Fresno County has an overabundance of domestic stray animals.This can often lead to situations that are dangerous to both the animals and people in our community. Any time you are concerned it is important to call your local animal control agency. Note what the dog looks like, its temperament, and where you found it. According to California Penal Code 597.1(a), animal control must pick up stray dogs (and cats) who are sick or injured. They are also required to take in and care for stray and abandoned dogs (California Civil Code 1815 and 1816).
If a dog approaches you, follow these guidelines to protect yourself.
Stay calm. Don’t panic or run. It is important to stay calm and not panic as showing fear or running can trigger a dog’s instinct to act aggressively.
Avoid prolonged eye contact. Dogs can interpret this as a challenge. Instead, look slightly away but keep the dog in your peripheral vision.
Command the dog to leave. If the dog charges you, in a firm tone, using a deep voice, give the dog short commands such as GO AWAY! LEAVE! GET OUTTA HERE! In addition, stomping your foot, thrusting your finger, or swinging an object in your hand at the charging dog may show enough dominance that the dog will stop charging or possibly leave.
Back away slowly. Never turn your back on a dog. Always face the dog while slowly backing away.
Stand still. If the dog approaches you but hasn’t attacked yet, try standing still with your hands by your side and feet close together, like a tree. This may diffuse the situation.
If a dog has knocked you down, do not try to get up and run.
- Roll into a ball.
- Cover your face, throat, and neck with your hands and arms.
- Try not to move or make any sound until the dog has gone away.
- Call for help if necessary.
Report the attack. In the event of an ongoing attack, call 911. Otherwise, call your local animal control agency.
As a community, we need to stick together to keep everyone safe. If you see something, say something. While a roaming dog may seem harmless to you, it could become hostile to someone else.