Sad and Lost: How to Save Butte’s Stray Pups

BUTTE, MT - You're out on a walk or a drive around town. You see a dog with a collar on, but it's obvious there is no owner in sight. The dog is running away faster than you can chase it. What do you do?

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If you've been in this situation, you are not alone. An unfortunate reality of living in Butte is that there are presumed to be hundreds of loose and stray dogs roaming the streets every day, just looking to survive like most of us humans or looking for a way to get back home. Though there are no official numbers of the amount of lost or stray dogs on the streets of Butte, just by my research on Facebook and other community watch websites, I'd say there are on average about 5-10 lost dogs on any given day. That doesn't include the amount of strays that have no home.

That's sad enough on its own, but compile that with the possible reasons that the dogs are out loose in the first place, and it gets even sadder. Some of the top reasons for lost pups are the way the animal is treated, lack of a secure area, or even just some slipping out of their collar. These actually make for great preventative techniques to keep your pup safe and sound (keeping their home secure, making sure their leash and collar fit properly, and treating the animal with love and understanding as you would a young child). But what do you do when you see the animal out and about?

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It may sound obvious, but based on the number of posts I see on Facebook, it may not be as obvious as one may think: when you see a stray or lost dog, the first thing you should do is call Animal Control (406-497-6527) and report the pup. However, Animal Control is only around during certain hours, so what if you see a pup in the middle of the night? Call the police non-emergency line, tell them the situation, and they'll patch you over to After Hours Animal Control. Then, once the dog is reported and known to authorities, then—if you can—snap a pic of the dog and post it on Facebook through Butte community forums. Though there are many posts a day, most owners seem to know that Facebook is a good place to check if their pup is lost.

Remember: we can all do our part and treat our animals with love and respect, not just emotionally but through proper feeding, walking, and securing their home.