What should you do if you see a dog in distress? Daniel shares some tips on how to assist dogs that need help.

I first heard Daniel’s name back in 2014 when he and DDB Nashville (Dogs Deserve Better’s local chapter) rescued a dog named Otis and helped him find a home with my sister Melissa and her husband Craig. Otis’ story was a sad one: he was chained up in a yard, and his owner refused to work with or surrender the dog to DDB Nashville. When Otis was later found extremely thin with a bad skin condition, DDB Nashville stepped in and contacted Animal Control, who sited the owner and took Otis from him due to neglect (you can read the full story here). I always appreciated Daniel’s help in rescuing that sweet dog, and I was curious to know what I should do if I saw a dog like Otis being abused or wandering the streets alone. I contacted Daniel to share his story and give us some information on how to help a dog that needs aid.

When I called Daniel, he told me he would bring his rescue dog Frankie with him and I was so excited. I never met Frankie before, but I saw photos of him. He looked a lot like Otis! When Daniel and Frankie arrived at my house, Frankie was just as sweet as I thought he would be. Just a big bundle of love, and I could tell how much he loved his Dad.

Daniel sat down with me and talked about his days driving around Nashville, seeing dogs chained up and in bad shape. He knew he had to do something, so he joined an organization called SAFPAW (Southern Alliance for People and Animal Welfare). From there, Daniel got more involved in the community and starting working with a group named DDB Nashville.

Daniel shared some tips on what to do if you see a dog that needs help. They are:

1. Identify: If you see a dog in distress, neglected or abused, get the address and take pictures and/or video if possible.

2. Notify: Contact Animal Control immediately if there is one in the area. If not, contact local law enforcement.

3. Be careful: Not every dog is friendly. They might bite. It's not good to try to approach a dog that is aggressive.

4. Repeat: If Animal Control or local law enforcement don’t respond, contact them again. Sometimes it takes many calls and attempts to get someone out there to assess and handle the situation.

For those who want to get out in the field and help, Daniel suggesting joining an organization like SAFPAW or DDB, which do great jobs at rescuing dogs.

If you want to do something, but don’t have time to join an organization, you can always make a SAFPAW or DDB Nashville donation. Fostering a dog is also a great way to contribute.

Daniel wanted to do even more, so he started a Facebook group called Walk Adoptable Dogs Nashville, which gives rescue dogs more exposure in the community. The group has gotten some great attention and has helped dogs get adopted. Way to go Daniel!

After talking with Daniel (you can watch the full video here), we all went out into my yard to play with Frankie. Boy, that dog sure loves a game of fetch! What a great day it wound up being. Not only did I finally get to meet Daniel and Frankie, but I also found out about some of Nashville’s great rescue organizations and what to do if I see a dog in trouble. Thank you Daniel and Frankie for everything, it was a day I won’t forget.