June 3, 2025, 4:42 am | Read time: 7 minutes
What Should I Do if a Stray Dog Approaches Me on Vacation? Can or Should I Help? PETBOOK Has the Answers.
When I think back to our family vacations during my childhood, I don’t just remember wide beaches with soft sand, ice cream, and ancient Greek ruins. More memorable were the encounters with animals, like the cats in Tuscany that I fed every morning before breakfast, the dog in Tuscany that roamed around the hotel, and the kittens in Ibiza, one of which suffered from conjunctivitis. I remember stopping by the cat every day after breakfast with ointment to treat its fiery red eyes.
I love animals in general and dogs in particular. So much so that, in my childhood, the quality of a vacation was often measured by the number of dogs and cats I befriended during the trip. Today, I see things a bit differently. While I still enjoy encountering animals on vacation, I now primarily see the plight of street animals and often wonder if there’s a way to help beyond just giving them attention.
How Do I Decide if an Animal Needs Help?
Sometimes the question is quite clear. Like during my vacation in Marrakech five years ago. I had escaped the winter with a friend when, during a morning jog, three puppies literally ran up to me. Whimpering, wagging their tails, and with big, dark eyes looking at me questioningly, the little dogs approached as if they had been waiting just for me. I stopped, slowed my pace, and looked around—maybe their mother was nearby?
The dogs seemed to come from a barren sandy area where no other dog was in sight. The mother dog was nowhere to be seen. I continued slowly: 100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters—the puppies followed me, making excited noises. What happened next was the final push in my decision to take the dogs to the hotel: A woman coming toward me on a narrow path roughly shooed one of the little dogs away with a stick. Street dogs didn’t seem to be valued much in this rural area of Morocco where I was. My heart sank. I picked the puppies up from the ground and held them close. I couldn’t possibly leave them there.
Rescue at the Last Second
For me, it was clear that I couldn’t leave the dog we found there. He was obviously being bullied by other dogs, and on the one-kilometer walk from the hotel to the restaurant, he was attacked several times by various dogs. We defended him by making ourselves look big and shouting at the dogs that attacked him.
With the puppies in tow, we got into a taxi after a few phone calls. The veterinarian who received us there took the puppies in for an examination and thanked me warmly for bringing them. The puppies were estimated to be only six weeks old, too young to survive on their own. A few days later, they would likely have been dead. Instead, they were able to stay at the “SPANA du Maroc” and be cared for until they could be adopted.
What Should I Do if I See a Stray Dog?
Is it okay to support stray animals with food during a vacation, or not? Lisa Frankenberger, press officer for the animal protection organization Tierschutz Tasso, says, “As tourists, we need to be aware of whether the animals are really suffering acutely.”
While street animals often don’t live as we imagine they should or in optimal health conditions, we should help in situations where an animal is in danger, threatened, or injured.
Sometimes the question is quite clear. Like during my vacation in Marrakech five years ago. I had escaped the winter with a friend when, during a morning jog, three puppies literally ran up to me. Whimpering, wagging their tails, and looking at me with big, dark eyes, the little dogs approached as if they had been waiting just for me. I stopped, slowed my pace, and looked around—maybe their mother was nearby?
The dogs seemed to come from a barren sandy area where no other dog was in sight. The mother dog was nowhere to be seen. I continued slowly: 100 meters, 200 meters, 300 meters—the puppies followed me, making excited noises. What happened next was the final push in my decision to take the dogs to the hotel: A woman coming toward me on a narrow path roughly shooed one of the little dogs away with a stick. Stray dogs didn’t seem to be valued much in this rural area of Morocco where I was. My heart sank. I picked the puppies up from the ground and held them close. I couldn’t leave them behind.
Feeding Stray Animals on Vacation: Yes or No?
Is it okay to support stray animals with food during a vacation, or not? Lisa Frankenberger, press spokesperson for the animal protection organization Tierschutz Tasso, says, “As tourists, we need to be aware of whether the animals are really suffering acutely.” While street animals often don’t live as we imagine or in optimal health conditions, we should help in situations where an animal is in danger, threatened, or injured.
We should also be cautious when approaching animals. Many animals are not used to human contact, or they may have had bad experiences. “Subtle signals, like turning their head away or slightly pinning their ears back, can show that an animal doesn’t want contact,” says veterinarian Dr. Joachim Hölter, who advises, “If you’re not familiar with the body language of dogs and cats, be cautious and give the animals their space.” It can be different if dogs or cats are already accustomed to tourists and seek contact. Still, caution is advised. “In some vacation countries, rabies is still present, and bites or scratches can be life-threatening. Always wash your hands thoroughly after contact with animals,” says Dr. Hölter.
What Should I Do if I See a Stray Dog?
From my personal experience, I know that the farther you are from home in Europe, the more challenging it is to help a stray animal. I learned this during my last vacation in Sri Lanka when a stray dog approached my partner and me. Without us feeding the dog, it became clear why it followed us from the hotel to the restaurant. The dog was obviously being bullied by other dogs, and on the one-kilometer walk, it was attacked several times by various dogs. Apparently, it had no chance on its own. We defended it by making ourselves look big and shouting at the dogs that attacked it.
We left in a taxi to the next town, knowing that such a small, scared dog had no chance on its own. During the ride, I researched Sri Lankan aid organizations. I learned that dogs are rarely taken in by locals, as they are often considered a nuisance.
One animal rights activist I spoke with for a long time told me that dogs are often not taken in by locals because they are considered a nuisance and often suffer from tropical diseases unfamiliar to European veterinarians.
Rocky’s Rescue
For me, it was clear that I couldn’t leave the dog we found there. He was obviously being bullied by other dogs, and on the one-kilometer walk from the hotel to the restaurant, he was attacked several times by various dogs. We defended him by making ourselves look big and shouting at the dogs that attacked him.
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Rocky’s Journey to Germany
The hotel owner, Dilan Welikala of “Kitesurfing Lanka,” is fortunately an animal rights activist and an incredibly wonderful person. He connected me with Indira Sahadevan of “Cat Protection Sri Lanka,” who took Rocky in and had him treated by a veterinarian. Since he couldn’t stay there permanently, I decided to bring him to Germany. I will cover the cost, which is about 600 euros for vaccinations and the flight, and it’s worth it for Rocky’s life.
Conclusion: Seeing stray animals on vacation is often heartbreaking—but sometimes we can actually make a difference. It’s important to be well-informed, act responsibly, and involve animal welfare organizations when in doubt. For a dog like Rocky, who was abandoned, the efforts of one person can mean the difference between life and death. If you, as a reader, feel you could be the one to help, please contact me: nina@nina-ponath.de.