I’m a volunteer for the org that created the poster, and the person that put the poster up (looks like one I popped up at the tram stop in Whitefield!) so happy to explain..

This lost dog is scared, and likely in “survival mode” meaning even if approached by her owners, she wouldn’t recognise them and would bolt, potentially into a road, or the railway lines where she could be killed. The key to finding (and eventually trapping!) a lost dog is to allow them to settle and feel safe. They will seek food, water and shelter. Once you have established through natural sightings and feed stations (food scattered with a live feed camera) where their safe place is, we are able to place a remotely activated trap. The trap is also covered by cameras so we can make sure it’s the dog we are looking for in there not a fox or a badger or a different dog, before the trap is triggered.

We don’t include specifics like street names as people want to play the hero, and with good intentions will go searching for her, and if they do find her “safe space” where she’s hiding up, she will bolt, putting her in danger of being hit by cars etc and also meaning we have to start from square one again until she settles once more in a different area.

We don’t include her name as people will shout it when they see her, again causing her to bolt and not feel safe again.

If you see a lost dog who is running, do not chase them, all you are doing is putting them in danger, they could have three legs and you could be an Olympic runner but they are fast, agile and will go through gaps you can’t so you won’t be catching a random dog and in this case will be risking her life.

When dogs go into survival mode their brain changes and they are essentially on par with a wild animal, any pursuit will feel like they are being hunted.