When we see an injured animal on the side of the road, we usually have mixed
emotions as to whether we should help or not. Some people will not try to
help the animal, for fear of being bit, which is understandable. Others are
willing to risk injury to themselves in order to help the animal, which is
very noble but somewhat dangerous. If you do decide to try and help an
injured animal, you should take every precaution necessary to protect
yourself from injury. Make sure that you instruct your children to never
approach an injured animal, but to go and get an adult.

One day, my sister-in-law and I saw an injured dog on the side of the road
that had apparently been hit by a car. We got out of the car and approached
the animal, which did not seem to be hostile, so we decided to do what we
could to help. My sister-in-law reached into the back seat of the car where
her husband had left a flannel shirt and took it out to wrap the dog in. We
gently lifted the dog and laid it on the back seat of the car. The animal
growled a bit but made no attempt to bite us. A preliminary inspection of
the dog showed minor injuries and what seemed to be a broken leg. We  
went to each house in the area, in search of the owner. We finally did find the
owners, who promptly took the dog to the vet, but they treated us as if we  
had hit the dog.

If you do find an injured animal and choose to help, there are some things
you should consider. If you cannot find the owner and you take the animal to
a vet or animal hospital, you may be held responsible for the bill. Whether
or not you are charged for the animal's treatment, the animal may be turned
over to a local shelter, if the owner cannot be found and you are not willing
to accept responsibility for it's care. In the event that the animal is
turned over to a shelter, it will only be kept for a certain length of time.
If it is not claimed during that period it will be put down, unless the
shelter has a no kill policy.

In an effort to try and find the animal's owner, you can place an ad in the
newspaper describing the animal, the area it was found in, and any form of
identification or distinguishing marks. You must also make the choice of
whether or not to keep the animal permanently, if it is not claimed. You can
choose to keep the animal, or try to find it a new home. If you choose to
keep the animal, you will need to be prepared to care for it. Not only will
you need to provide for it's health, including follow-up visits with the vet
and perhaps medication, but you will need to provide proper housing and  
food. It is usually relatively easy to keep up with the maintenance a pet requires
but if the pet is going to go through a long recovery period, you should be
prepared to accept the responsibility. Whatever you choose to do, make sure
that you know the options, and are prepared for the possible outcomes. Help
by making an informed choice.