What To Do If You Find a Deceased Pet

***Trigger Warning: Sensitive Content*** I wasn't planning on writing this. This grim subject wasn't anywhere in my blog topic schedule. But twice in one day recently, two of my friends found pets on the sides of busy roads. Both animals were sadly deceased. Neither animal was wearing a collar or ID tags. Both remains were in fair condition. One was a cat, and did not have an eartip - which could indicate the cat was possibly trapped-neutered-and-released (TNRed) and part of a managed feral colony. It was unknown how long the animals laid there. It was unknown if they suffered. It was unknown, at that point, if they were loved, lost, owned animals. What WAS known was that hundreds of other cars passed these animals without a second glance. My friends were the only brave ones to take action to do something for these deceased creatures. So, what should you do if you find a deceased pet? Here are some steps you can take, which can possibly reunite a lost animal with an owner and give the gift of closure to an anxious owner: 1. Always keep gloves, a bath towel, and a cardboard box or large plastic bags in your car. 2. If you find a deceased pet, remember your safety first. Are you on a busy road? Is there room to pull over and stop? Make sure there are no scavenging animals around that could endanger your own safety. 3. If the environment is not safe to stop, you should call local authorities. Most cities and municipalities have animal control contracts, where an animal control officer can remove the remains and scan for a microchip. 4. If the environment is safe to stop, you can obtain the animal and take it for a microchip scan yourself. Take photos of the remains and post the deceased animal in the Deceased Pets of Western PA Facebook group (https://www.facebook.com/groups/232021113653774) Put gloves on, move the animal to safety, and place the animal in a cardboard box or plastic bag. (Remember, safety first. In most cases, it will be obvious the animal has passed. If it is not obvious, stomp on the ground, yell "doggy, doggy!" or "kitty, kitty!" to see if you get a response. Looks for chest raising to indicate breathing. Animals may die with their eyes open, you can shine a bright light in the animal's eye to look for pupil dilation.) 5. The animal can be taken to any vet or shelter to be scanned for a microchip for free. This step is critical. This is the step that can connect the animal with an owner if it is a lost pet. This all is not easy to do, it's not for the squeamish or faint of heart. I have done this before, and my heart hurt for the animal for days. I cried. And if it is too emotional to do, you can always call local authorities for help. In both recent cases where my friends found deceased pets, heartbreakingly, both animals were lost pets. A much-loved cat who accidentally got outside while the owner was moving. And a much-loved dog who ran out of an open gate. Accidents happen. Pets can go missing. And in both of these cases the owners were beside themselves looking for their animals. It was not the ending they wanted for certain, but both sets of owners were connected to their deceased pets via a microchip scan. All because my friends were brave enough to help. So, be a helper. Go beyond your comfort zone. Give the gift of closure.