I’m both sad and glad to report that my friends’ Beagle mix, Sassafras is still missing. It’s sad because she has been on the street since April 8th. It’s glad because recent search tracks have indicated that she is still out there. (See the latest in her blog here.)

I spoke to one of Sassafras’ people yesterday about DC Lost Pet Alert wanting to know the most important things anyone hoping to help in a search should know.

What struck me the most is that the one thing a good-hearted person would want to do to help is the very last thing they should do.

When my friend said, “Tell people to take a picture right away, preferably one with a time stamp. Collect as much information as you can about where you are. Do NOT chase the dog!” it made perfect sense in a way I had not thought of before.

By trying to be a helping hero, rather than collecting information, you could actually make things worse for the dog.

Read more about why it is such a bad idea, after the jump.

From a behavioral perspective, the dog you are walking up to is not the dog who slept in a cozy bed at home. It is a creature living totally in the moment.

I talk all the time about how dogs don’t have cumulative memory, so they aren’t lying around reminiscing about their puppyhoods. A lost dog is the same. S/he isn’t thinking, ‘Oh rescue!’ The only thought in that dog’s mind is survival.

Some dogs might be so people oriented that they would rush up to a stranger, but most wouldn’t. As a helper, you don’t want to take that risk and force a dog to run out into traffic or to move out of the area where they have found food or a safe hole to hide in. Trust the people who have the time, resources and experience to do what is best for the dog.

This is especially true if you are in a hurry or feeling anxious. Your frame of mind will effect the dog you are approaching, so treat the interaction like an accident report. Get all the info you can and share it as quickly as possible.

If you are a volunteer for DC Lost Pet Alert, report to them. Also, contact the District’s 311 non-emergency number to connect with a Animal Control officer and the Humane Society at 202-BE-HUMANE (202-234-8626). If you see Sassafras, take a picture and call her people at 202-664-2301.

If you aren’t a volunteer with DC Lost Pet Alert, click “sign up” on their front page and register for free.

Anyone who wants to help a lost dog is a hero, to my way of thinking. To be a truly helpful hero, please do not trust your own animal magnetism.

A frightened dog cannot see your good heart.

Take a picture. Call for help.

Bless you!