By: Harry Bailey, Supervisor
Artesia Animal Shelter

An animal running at large can become a tricky situation. There are several reasons why animals run around on the streets and most people want to help, but sometimes they put themselves or the animal in harm’s way even though they mean well.

Before we talk about what to do if you see an animal running the streets, let’s talk about a few reasons why they are running the streets. The most common would be because they are not sterilized. When an animal becomes sexually mature around 6 months old, their drive becomes very prevalent, and they go looking for a female or the female admits a scent to attract males. Another reason may be separation anxiety. This occurs when there is a change in your schedule, or you may be very close with your animal, and they want more of your time. Another cause maybe they are not being properly restrained on the property due to fencing and other factors.

After identifying a few of these issues, we should talk about what to do when you see an animal running the streets. If you find an animal running loose, the best thing to do is take a photo of the animal and call an Animal Services Officer to describe the animal (size, color, fur length) and which direction it was heading, also noting if there was a collar or leash attached. This should be done before sharing on social media. Social media is a great tool however, letting an Animal Service Officer know first allows us to respond in a better time frame.

We do not recommend residents chase after or try to capture an animal. Animal Service Officers are trained for this, and we don’t want to see anyone get bit. You can get assistance by calling our dispatch center at 575-616-7155 and if you are missing your animal or looking to adopt, please come down to the Artesia Animal Shelter located at 502 N. Paddywagon Way, here in Artesia to look for your pet.