Stray Dogs
If you've found a stray dog in Lebanon County please contact us or your local police department on our Municipalities page
5 things to do when you've found a friendly stray dog.
Please remember that you should NEVER approach a dog that is openly aggressive or vicious. This list assumes you are not afraid of the dog and that it is friendly enough to not be putting your safety at risk.
- Contact your Police or the Humane Society.
- Contain the animal in a yard, garage, leash, etc.. until Animal Control arrives.
- Check to see if the dog is wearing a collar and or license
- Check the dogs ear and thigh to see if there are any obvious tattoos.
- Check with neighbors to see if they've lost their dog.
Most residents of Lebanon County will not be charged a fee for Canine Animal Control services from the Humane Society of Lebanon County. So please do the right thing. Help save an animals life.
It is not uncommon for stray dogs to show aggression towards people. Generally a stray dog is scared and anxious. Even the friendliest dog under scared and anxious conditions can become aggressive until trust is earned. You should never approach a dog that is not outwardly friendly towards you. Contact the Humane Society or your Local Police to handle any dogs that may put your safety at risk.
Other times a stray dog may never get close enough for you to even determine whether or not its friendly. Often times it wont let Animal Control get close enough either. In this situation the Humane Society of Lebanon County would have to place a dog trap to catch the animal.
Using one of these traps you can quickly and easily catch a stray dog that is hanging around. Using a trap considerably deters any ones chance of being bitten or scratched and exposed to zoonotic diseases and possible requirement of the animals euthanasia. Which increases our chances of saving the animal and finding it a good home
In an attempt to help lessen the burden of cost for housing, feeding, providing medical treatment and rehabilitation services for the stray dogs of the county we do charge the municipalities a fee for any dog that we handle in their respective jurisdictions.
A large majority of the townships and boroughs throughout the county have agreed to pay the fee for this service. However other townships or boroughs must be contacted prior to the Humane Society and the resident must get authorization from the municipality before contacting us for service.
The following lists the municipalities that require all residents to contact township personnel or the local police department about strays animals to obtain authorization prior to contacting the Humane Society. If you live in this municipality you must contact your Local Police or Call your township building.
Township where strays must be handled by police or twp. personnel.
- Bethel Township
- Heidelberg Township
- Millcreek Township
- Richland Borough
- West Lebanon Township
If the Township gives you permission to bring the stray to the shelter, please be sure to ask the name of the person from the Township (or police department) that gave you authorization to bring in the stray. If you cannot get in contact with your local police or someone at the Township, please call the Humane Society to have the stray dog picked up. Please do not bring the stray dog directly to the shelter (if you live in one of the above 5 Municipalities). Authorization must be given by the Township, or the Humane Society must pick up the dog.
Each municipality's policy on stray animal fees is its own and was wrought by its governing council. The Humane Society of Lebanon County cannot influence this policy in any way. Only the residents and governing councils of each municipality can dictate or change this policy during their respective meetings. To inquire about a change in this policy, or for information on contacting any municipalities, or their governing bodies for any reason, please visit our Municipalities page.