There are 10 proper steps to take if you want to approach a stray animal to help it or even adopt it.

1) Get his attention by making a small clicking sound with your tongue or speaking to him in a low, calm voice.

2) Approach it very slowly. Do anything to appear small in bulk, height, demeanor and less annoying about the same. If you can, walk calmly and so that he can see more of your shoulder, remaining alert for his reaction. Do not get down on your hands or knees, because if the animal decides to react or attack you will have a hard time getting away. Approach him initially maintaining a distance of 1-2 meters and gradually, if all goes well, reduce it.

3) Allow him to approach you when you get close enough, calling in a soft, calm, steady voice with short pauses in between to give him time to understand that he is not in danger. Calmly put your hand palm down on the ground and if you have food with you, throw it somewhere to the side and not directly in front of the animal.

4) Avoid staring at it. Look to the sides of the dog, rather than looking at the bottom of its head or body. Dogs take this as a sign of ownership, interpret it as a challenge for a fight or attack and react accordingly. You will have noticed from your own dog that he never looks you in the eyes for a long time, while cats look at each other for as long as they can before breaking into a fight and starting the attack. Since such is the law of animals, calculate it.

5) When you get too close, hold your hand so that the back of it is touching or “looking” at the animal, as this is less threatening to the dog and safer for your fingers if it decides to bite.

6) Observe the animal’s body language. If the dog won’t come to you or let you come to him, stay still as long as he doesn’t show teeth or growl. Give him time. For the cat, let it come to you because as a hunter it wants to hunt and not be hunted.

7) If both the dog and the cat show that they do not want contact with you at all, stay calm, take careful steps back and of course DO NOT RUN WITH ANYTHING…!!

8) If all goes well and you finally get close, stand still while the animal tries to examine your hand by smelling it.

9) Give him time to finish examining his approach, from your hand and begin to move it calmly and gently towards his one shoulder. Do not start petting the head, because it may react or bite. Remember that animals have “zones” that they don’t like to be touched, so proceed carefully and carefully in order to study his reactions.

10) Always wait calmly and without absolute certainty that you have “won” him, until you see that he starts to feel comfortable with you. Keep talking to him sweetly, softly, friendly. You will easily find out at the end, exactly when the “top of the mountain” of your acquaintance has been won. And it will be for both sides a wonderful adventure and journey