What to Do When You Find a Straying Dog

May 2026

Sometimes, dogs end up in rescues and shelters after they have been discovered straying without an owner in sight.

We often get asked, what to do when you find a straying dog. So, we’ve compiled a few pointers here.

First of all, most dogs that are wandering around on their own (especially in the countryside) are simply on a stroll, permitted by the owner and familiar to the neighbourhood, or else they are on their way back home. So, if the dog doesn’t seem distressed, there’s a big chance that they don’t need to be ‘rescued’ and can be trusted to find their own way home.

However, if you become concerned about a straying dog, there are a couple of things you can do:

• Check for a tag on the collar, if the dog allows you – always make sure it is safe to do so

  • If there is one, you’ll be able to get information about the owner off that and contact them, and take it from there;

  • If there’s no tag, or owner’s details on the collar, ask around in the neighbourhood to see if anyone knows whose dog it might be;

    • If no one in the neighbourhood knows anything about the dog, you can contact a dog warden, a local vet or An Garda Siochána, to get the dog checked for a microchip;

      • Bear in mind that nobody is required to share any owner information with you or any other third party.

  • You could also post an image of the dog on social media – there are lost and found dog groups around in many locations.

    • The quicker you can find the dog’s owner, the better, but it’s always recommended to contact local authorities or a vet or a rescue, too.

• Another thing you could do when you find a straying dog is to contact your local animal rescue, like KLAWS

  • The rescue can then contact the dog warden with all the info they have on the dog, and if the owner is not located after 5 days, they can start looking for a new home for the dog

    • Some rescues have microchip readers, so they may be able to help you with that, too

• Holding on to a dog you have found might feel like the nicest thing you could do for the dog, but there are a couple of important things to consider around this matter:

  • You might become emotionally attached to the dog and be reluctant to return them at the end;

  • It would be better for the animal to have official institutions trying to locate their owner, just in case there are animal welfare issues that have to be dealt with, or other kinds of delicate matters that would be safer in the hands of officials, as they might require the involvement of legal procedures;

    • The officials may also be able to help the owner learn about responsible dog ownership practices etc.

• The reason we have straying dogs in our communities has to do with deficiencies in responsible dog ownership. One of the main aspects of being a responsible dog owner is always keeping your dog in control. It is the dog owner’s responsibility to ensure that their dog is not causing trouble anywhere (like worrying sheep, or chasing other dogs on the beach, etc.)

  • Remember that under the Control of Dogs Act 1986, every dog in a public place must wear a collar with the owner’s name and address on it – either directly or on an attached tag;

  • Under the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015, all dogs must be equipped with a microchip and registered in a government-approved database by the time they’re 12 weeks old;

    • So, if those items are missing, the dog needs to be handed in to either a dog warden or a garda station, who will be responsible for finding the owner of the dog;

    • If the owner has not been located within 5 days by the warden, the dog may be handed over to a local rescue or shelter. And the ownership is thereby transferred to the rescue, who will proceed to rehome the dog via legally sound pathways.