What to Do If You Find a Pet on the Street
How to responsibly help animals in need around Da Nang and Hoi An
At PAWS, we know how heartbreaking it is to see animals roaming the streets. Whether it’s a kitten alone in the market or a dog limping near a busy road, your first instinct may be to help, and that’s a beautiful thing. But before taking action, it’s important to understand the best way to ensure the animal’s safety without unintentionally causing harm.
Here’s what you should do depending on the situation:
You Find an Injured Dog or Cat
If the animal is visibly injured, sick, or in distress, please try to find the owner and reach out to us immediately. As a very small shelter with limited space, we only take in emergency cases, but we will never ignore an animal in need. If we can’t take the animal into our shelter, we will do our best to help with vet care or connect you to appropriate resources.
PAWS is 100% donation-funded. If you’re able to help with vet costs, even a small contribution goes a long way.
You Find a Healthy Adult Dog or Cat
Not every animal seen roaming is a stray. In Vietnam, many pets are allowed to wander freely and are known to their neighbourhoods.
Before intervening:
1. Observe: Does the animal look healthy and confident, or is it scared and underweight?
2. Ask around: Neighbours often recognise local pets – check all the nearby streets and see if you can find their home.
3. Share a photo online (without a specific location) to help reunite them with their family.
4. Consider the time: If it’s nearing nighttime, the streets can become dangerous (especially with dog/cat catchers). If the animal seems lost or vulnerable, it may be safest to bring them home or find a safe foster temporarily while you search for their owners.
⚠️ IMPORTANT:
When posting in Facebook groups, do not share the exact location of the animal, as these groups are sometimes infiltrated by dog and cat thieves.
Always ask for proof of ownership before returning an animal to someone claiming them.
You Find a Puppy
Like adult dogs, puppies may wander a short distance from home. Unless they are in immediate danger:
1. First, check for signs of an owner nearby.
2. Ask neighbours if anyone recognises the pup.
3. Share a photo online (again, without a specific location) to help reunite them with their family.
You Find One or More Kittens
It’s tempting to scoop up a kitten alone in the market or on the street, but not all kittens need rescuing. Many may be part of a managed stray cat colony or have a mother nearby. Before taking action, ask:
Is the kitten clearly abandoned?
Is the kitten being mistreated or in immediate danger?
Is the kitten injured or sick?
Does the kitten look malnourished?
Could the mother be around feeding or watching from a distance?
If unsure, watch the kitten at different times of day. A healthy kitten with no signs of injury may have a mother who’s gone to find food. Removing it too soon can jeopardise its survival, especially if under 3 weeks of age, as it still depends on its mother’s milk.
💡 If you suspect abuse, illness, or danger, contact us. We can help manage the situation, ideally keeping mother and kittens together.
PAWS runs a Trap-Neuter-Return (TNR) program for stray cats. If you’ve identified a cat colony and want to help manage it humanely, get in touch with our team.
If you haven’t found the owner and have decided to take the pet home, we’re happy to support you with resources on how to care for them, and we can also share their story on our social media to help find them a forever home.
If you’re in Vietnam for a limited time, please don’t wait until the last minute to look for a long-term solution for your rescue. Our shelter — like many others — is often at full capacity.
Please do not pressure us to take in the animal or threaten to return them to the street. This is extremely distressing for our team and, most importantly, unfair to the animal.
As a last resort, we recommend ensuring the pet is vaccinated and can be safely boarded, giving you more time to find a suitable family or rehoming option.
Helping animals on the streets is a community effort. It’s not always about bringing them into a shelter. Sometimes the best thing you can do is share their story, protect them temporarily, or simply not separate them from their mother.
If you’re unsure, reach out. We’ll do our best to support you with guidance, resources, or vet care assistance. And remember: our shelter runs entirely on donations and the generosity of compassionate people like you.
🐾 Thank you for caring. Together, we can make a difference — one animal at a time.
YOU can make a difference
As a non-profit relying solely on public donations, we are incredibly grateful for the generosity of our supporters—who make it possible for us to rescue and rehabilitate animals in need. Your contributions have enabled us to provide essential vaccinations, spay/neuter surgeries, and medical treatment to thousands of animals.
Please consider continuing your support to help us carry out our vital work.
