You’re driving around your neighborhood when suddenly you spot a lost dog. He has no collar, and he’s running down the sidewalk. How are you going to lure him toward you and how, if you decide it’s safe to transport him, are you going to leash him up when he has no collar and you have no leash? We keep a Lost Dog Kit in our cars for this very purpose!
Assuming you feel safe in approaching the dog, do you have anything in your car to lure the dog to you…or to leash him if you do get him to approach you? Remember, you might be alongside a busy road and need to make sure he doesn’t bolt if you do get a chance to get him.
What to Keep in Your Lost Dog Kit
It only takes minutes to assemble an inexpensive, small lost dog kit to keep in your car. Get a zippered freezer bag (or an old cosmetic bag will work just fine, too) and include the following:
- a slip leash. The lost dog you encounter may or may not have a collar so you need a simple slip leash you can just loop over his head.
- a small can of cat food that you can open by hand. The strong scent of cat food will lure many dogs, even those that aren’t especially hungry.
- a squeaker or small squeaky toy to use to lure a dog to you. To save space in your car, you can pull out just the squeaker from an old toy (or use a replacement squeaker).
- the phone number and location of your local emergency vet office.
- a bottle of water and a popup bowl
- A blanket or old towel in your car can be very helpful in getting the dog to settle down so you can drive safely.
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