A dog with a collar, a clean coat or a confident manner around people almost always has a home nearby. A thin, wary dog may have been out for a while. Either way the steps are the same.
Approach slowly and side-on, and let the dog come to you. Do not corner it or grab at it. If the dog is injured, aggressive or on a busy road, phone the SPCA and stay nearby so you can say where it went.
Bring the dog into a closed yard, away from your own pets, and give it water. Check the collar and tag for a phone number.
Report a found dog with a photo and the area. It takes two minutes and needs no account. Your phone number is not shown; owners contact you through the site.
Vets and SPCAs scan found dogs free of charge. If there is a chip, they contact the owner through the microchip company. See how dog microchips work in South Africa.
Phone the SPCA that covers the area, give a description and leave your number. Owners phone the SPCA first. If you cannot keep the dog, take it to them. Strays are held for a set period under the local by-law before they can be rehomed; ask the branch how long. For Gauteng, use the Gauteng SPCA and shelter directory.
Post in the suburb's WhatsApp and Facebook groups, and tell the nearest vets and the security company. Give the area, not your address.
Ask for proof before you hand over: other photos, a vet card, or a detail you left out of your post. Meet somewhere public or at a vet. Never pay, or accept payment, to release a dog. See the scam safety checklist.
Not without going through the SPCA. Dogs are property in South African law, so keeping or rehoming a found dog yourself can be an offence. If no owner comes forward in the holding period, the SPCA can tell you how to adopt.
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