-Safety First!  Your personal safety is of the utmost importance.  Never put your safety on the line to aid a stray animal.  You cannot rescue them if you are injured yourself!  When pulling over, park your car completely out of traffic.  Use your hazard lights, let other drivers know where you are and what your intentions are.  If it is dark outside, use emergency flares if you carry them in your car.  (If you are a natural-born rescuer, keep rescue items on hand; cat carrier, leashes and collars, strong-smelling foods, animal first aid kit, heavy blankets, phone numbers for veterinarians and a 24-hour emergency clinic) 

-Act Slowly!  Frightened, sick and injured animals may act unpredictably.  Move slowly when approaching stray animals.  Scared animals have the tendency of running, the last thing that you want is for the animal to run out into traffic.  Even a small animal could inflict a painful wound, if you are bitten by an animal whose vaccination history is not know, you may have to undergo preventative treatment for rabies.  If you feel uneasy about the situation, remain in your car!  Call the local animal control office and let them know your exact location, description of the animal and your name and where you can be contacted.  If you leave the area, place food in the location given to the animal control office.  Animals are more likely to stay in an area if they have been fed there.

-Transport!  If you are able to transport the animal to a shelter, head their way immediately.  If you are planning on keeping the animal at your home until you find the owner, call your local animal control and let them know that you have the animal.  Also call the SPCA or local animal shelter (local numbers can be found below) to let them know that you have found the animal, the animal's description, and the location the animal was found.  Place an ad in your local newspaper, put up signs at public places, ask around to friends and neighbors.  (Don't assume that the animal has been abandoned callously.  Accidents can happen to anyone, and there may be a frantic owner looking everywhere for their beloved family pet.)

-Keep expectations realistic!  After you have rescued an animal, you may think that the rest of the pet care community would be willing to rescue it as well.  Unfortunately, because of a shelter's finances and the overwhelming amount of abandoned animals brought to them on a daily basis, most sick or injured animals are euthanized to relieve them from their suffering.  These facilities must make the painful decisions on how to best allocate their inadequate resources.  If you decide to take the animal to a veterinarian for treatment, be sure that you are able to assume full financial responsibility and ask all financial-related questions before treatment begins.  Some veterinarians have funds from donations set up for animals in need.  However, there is usually a shortage of funds and an overwhelming need.  (For more information on the My Pet's Hope Fund, click on the paw print on the left side of this page.)   

-Think responsibly!  Think clearly before rescuing any animal.  Asking yourself these questions may help determine what your plan is before acting on emotion alone; 
   -" Are you willing to put a lot of time and effort into looking for the owner and contacting the necessary facilities to let them know the whereabouts of the animal?"
   -"Are you willing to accept financial responsibility for the animal if the owner doesn't show up?"
   -"Are you willing to make this animal a part of your family and give them a forever home?"
   -"Are you willing to return him to his original home if the owner is found a you have already formed a bond with the animal?"


Polk County SPCA
5850 Brannen Road South
Lakeland, Florida  33813
(863)646-7722

Polk County Animal Services
7115 De Castro Road
Winter Haven, Florida  33880
(863) 499-2600