Found a dog or cat in the street?
Many people call the clinic when they find a dog or cat that seems to have no owner. Dr. Loparco, however, is a private vet and cannot collect the animal or take charge of it. In Puglia this is the job of the town council and the ASL veterinary service, under regional law 2/2020. Here is who to contact.
A dog
- Approach slowly and without sudden movements. Even a friendly dog may bite when it is frightened or hurt.
- If it has a tag with a phone number, call the owner.
- Otherwise report it to the local police (Polizia Locale) or to the ASL veterinary service. Collecting stray dogs is the ASL's job, and they also check the microchip to find the family.
- If it is injured, say so straight away when you call: by law it is taken to the veterinary facility chosen by the council or the police.
- If it is in the road and could cause an accident, call 112.
A cat
- A free-roaming cat that looks healthy usually doesn't need help. In Puglia cats living freely are protected: it is forbidden to mistreat them or move them away from where they live.
- Many belong to a cat colony looked after by volunteers, the council and the ASL. Cats neutered by the ASL have the tip of the right ear removed.
- If it is injured or unwell, ask the local police or the ASL veterinary service what to do.
- Found kittens on their own? Watch them from a distance for a few hours before touching them: the mother has often just gone looking for food.
Local police, Cisternino
Through the town hall switchboard: +39 080 444 5211
ASL Brindisi veterinary service – Cisternino
Public office. Tel. +39 080 444 8244
Danger on the road
European emergency number: 112
If you hit a dog or cat with your car, Italian law (Highway Code, art. 189) requires you to stop and make sure it gets help. If you have lost your own pet, regional law asks you to report it to the local police within two days. And if you decide to adopt the dog or cat you found, you can bring it to the clinic for a first check-up.