A very large reason that stray pets do not get home is that people who find them decide to keep them, or to turn them over to someone else to keep or to a rescue.
However, most jurisdictions have regulations in place about reporting found pets, not to mention that someone finding a pet should realize that this stray may in fact be a lost pet. While laws vary by State, and the details related to a pet ending up as a stray are even more diverse, much comes down to the ethical decision to Due Diligence.
Those involved day-to-day with lost pets realize that pets can go missing easily and quickly. While some strays may not have a home to go to, many do! And in those cases, the owner of the lost pet may have spent days, months, or even years looking and h oping for their return.
In addition, a stray may not have just gone missing from their rightful owner! Often they have been rehomed from friend to friend, only to find out when they are captured that they were lost or stolen years prior, even from jurisdictions miles and miles away.
The case for Due Diligence …
If you find a stray dog or cat, begin with the assumption that it could be someones beloved pet.
Contact area shelters to let them know you have found the pet, and if they will let you and you are willing, foster the animal for a time period to allow the owner to come forward.
Post the found pet on area lost and found pet pages, starting with HeLPingLostPets.com, area FB pages for lost/found pets, Craigslist and similar sites, along with any community listservs or the NextDoor forum.