Always keep a slip leash and yummy treats in your vehicle, along with cat kibble and a water bottle. If you often find stray pets in your area, prepare a Roadside Rescue Kit to keep in your vehicle. Items to consider for your kit:
- Tote with lid, to keep your kit dry and clean
- Bottled water, 2 qts., leaving room for ice expansion in winter if applicable
- Dog or cat food, 2 qts., in plastic bowl with lid (sample food packets available from some pet stores stay fresh longer)
- Plastic bowl for water to nest with the above
- Squeeze bulb or syringe, to squirt water into a thirsty pet’s mouth, if it is too stricken to lap water
- Tarp, plastic, large enough to cover your vehicle seat and back cushion, or to serve as a sling
- Blanket, warm, clean, and tightly woven
- Bandanas, keep several handy for soft restraints, tourniquets, towels, etc.
- Gloves, padded, long-wristed, to protect you from bites and scratches
- Muzzle, soft nylon, to protect you from bites
- Flares or glowsticks, to protect your vehicle from traffic at night or to signal a location
- Flashlight, headlamp style, for hands-free use, batteries removed but in the kit
- Wet wipes
- List of your contents, taped to the inside of the lid
Friendly, confident animals might be easy to approach, capture and foster temporarily. Strayed pets will need nourishment; provide what they need. Many stray dogs and cats might not let you approach, but you can leave food and water, and call your local humane authority. A flare may be helpful in signalling the location.
Injured pets may need more assistance, but take the utmost care when you approach. Gently, slowly, walk toward the pet, talking continually in a soft voice. Avoid direct eye contact. The pet, if conscious, could be very frightened and may react aggressively. Cover the pet with a blanket (not the head), and call your local humane authority or your veterinarian. If the pet struggles to move away from you or growls, stay back until experienced help arrives.
Do not give food or water if the injuries appear to require surgery, so that anesthesia will be safer for the pet.
Moving injured pets is risky, to them and to you. However, you might decide to accept that risk if the pet appears to need immediate assistance, is a long distance from veterinary care, or the pet appears to be docile.
Take precautions! The pet may bite from fear or pain. Wear gloves. Don’t look directly into the eyes. Move gently and slowly. Talk softly. Use the blanket or tarp as a sling, and transport the pet to the nearest veterinarian; call before you drive away so they can prepare. Remember to drive safely, slow down for corners, and avoid rough or pitted roads that may make the pet even more uncomfortable.
