Found dog -- what are my steps?

[wanderingenough]

Hey all -

Popping over from another board. I was hoping you all might be able to help. I WFH and while running out for lunch earlier, a French bulldog darted out in front of me outside of my neighborhood just before a busy intersection. It was raining and she just laid down in front of my car, so I obviously pulled over to get her. I tried calling the number on her tag but it's disconnected. I've posted  on our two neighborhood FB pages and asked for the owner to contact me and provide her name (which is on the tag) to claim.

Right now she is just hanging out on my air-conditioned porch. I've given her water, turned on a tv, gotten her a blanket, and taken her out, but I'm not really sure what else to do? She looks a lot older and I'm nervous to get her food in case she is on a limited diet or something. Is there something safe I can give her to eat?

Should I take her to the vet to see if she has a microchip? Would the owner keep a microchip updated if they don't update her tag? Worth a shot, I guess.

What is the next step if the microchip doesn't work and nobody claims her from the neighborhood page? I can probably keep her on the patio for a couple nights (we have a toddler, so I don't want either of them to get overwhelmed), but how do I ensure she goes somewhere safe if need be?

Thanks!

[nomad100]

I would see if she is microchipped. You may also want to see if there is lost dog FB group for your city. that may hit a larger group of people than your neighborhood groups.

You may also want to see if there are any Frenchie rescues in your area. They may be be a good bet to contact if no one claims her vs bringing her to the local animal shelter, especially if she is older.

But my thought is that if she looks to be in good condition, she likely just got out of someone's yard and her owner is looking for her right now. Oh, given that the # is disconnected, you may want to ask in your FB postings if anyone has a new neighbor with a dog that isn't a member of the group since it could be that they just moved in and haven't updated the tags with their new local #.

[wanderingenough]

Thanks nomad100! I ran her to the vet this afternoon and no microchip. The vet's office theorized that it wasn't her normal collar since it was blue and had a "boy" dog's name. They said she wasn't spayed and looks to have had pups/been bred. I'm not thinking she was abandoned though (unless moments before I found her), since it's been raining here for days and she wasn't that wet/dirty.

I'll try searching for a pet lost and found page like you suggested + look for a specific Frenchie rescue. Thanks again!

[nomad100]

wanderingenough, Good luck!! Hope you find her owners or someone who can give her a good home.

[niki]

Finding lost pets seems to be a hobby of mine. No one in my neighborhood is able to keep their dogs in their respective yards (I was one of those people once). Call the humane society, tell them about the found pet. Sign on to Nextdoor.com and give a very vague description of the dog found. Also, post on your local Lost Pets of "your city" Facebook page if your area has one.