How to Catch a Feral Dog

A "feral dog" is a wild dog that lives wherever there is a food source and a habitat in which it can survive. Many animal humane societies use a program of catching or trapping a "feral dog" to spay or neuter, evaluate their health and then release the healthy dogs back into a safe area. As many of these dogs dwell in packs, this helps stop the increasing population of wild or "feral dogs," which spread diseases.

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Steel leg hold traps
• Food to draw dog to the trap (meat)

1. Pick an area where feral dogs have been sighted or reported to set up your traps. The best time to attempt a trapping is at night.
2. Place some sort of food, preferably meat, in the area of the trap and make the trap area very inviting to a feral dog.
3. Wait, have patience, be quiet and check the trap often, as once a dog is trapped they may hurt themselves trying to break free
4. Release the feral dog cautiously from the trap and transfer into a carrier to take it to the vet for a health check. Additional help should be arranged for this step.

Tips & Warnings

• Adoption of a feral dog, that has been caught and medically checked out is rare, as these dogs are not social animals like most domestic dogs.
• Use caution when handling a "feral dog." If you are bitten or attacked, be sure to seek medical attention. Feral dogs are considered dangerous and have been known to attack domestic dogs, small animals and livestock.