When you find a lost dog, it's tricky to know what to do. While the dog may need medical attention and care, you need to keep yourself safe.

We're exploring the three steps you should take when you find a lost dog, which include assessing the situation, reporting them, and checking the PetRadar website.

We'll also detail where you should take them to get the care they need once you have determined the situation is safe.

Stray or pet? Identify whether the pup is a stray dog or a lost pet. You can do this by looking at the condition of their coat, whether they are well groomed or not, and whether they are wearing a collar. If their coat is dull, dirty, and unkept, then it's likely they’re a stray. Similarly, if they have visible fleas or unclipped nails, this is also an indicator that they are stray. Identifying a pet should be fairly easy. Check for any identification tags and collars and whether they are clean and well-kept.

Dangerous or safe? Even if you believe they are a pet, they can still be dangerous. Lost pets can be in survival mode, which means they'll avoid any contact with other people and animals and can be more aggressive or skittish than usual. Check the dog's body language and see how comfortable they are around you. Even if strays are friendly, they can sometimes carry diseases, which means you shouldn't approach or pet them.

Dog warden: Many neighborhoods and cities will have a dedicated dog warden who are responsible for monitoring dogs, both lost pets and strays, in the area. They'll know whether the dog you've found is a known stray or not and they'll be able to advise on your next steps and provide helpful resources.

Animal shelter: Reporting the found dog to the nearest animal shelter can help reunite them with their owner if they are a lost pet. It's likely their owner has reported them missing to the local shelter, so if your description matches, the shelter will often advise you to bring them in or if it's not safe to do so, they will come and pick them up.

Animal control: When you find a lost dog, contacting the local animal control office can be extremely useful. They will often attend to any reports of a lost animal that's been found and help transport them to a safer environment, like a rescue organization or a shelter.

Scan for a microchip: Checking to see if the pup is chipped will be a clear indicator of whether they are a pet or not. The chip will hold all the details of the owner so the vet will be able to contact them straight away.

Test for diseases: If a dog spends a prolonged period of time outdoors, it can be easy to pick up diseases from other strays and other animals. The vet will be able to test whether the dog has any dangerous illnesses.

Give them nourishment: It's likely the dog is malnourished if they have lived on the street for a while. The vet will be able to give them a drip to properly hydrate and special food that's high in fat and nutrients.

Tend to cuts, infections, and injuries: Any small injuries can be disinfected and treated there and then to prevent further infection or their condition worsening.