Dog needs emergency shelter but has no tags or paperwork?

Getting tags for her will depend on where you live. In most municipalities a rabies vaccination is required. If you have no proof of a rabies vaccine, you will need to have a vaccination done by a veterinarian. You will need to check with your locality to find out if any other vaccinations are required for licensing. I would recommend calling the office of the city where you live to find out their requirements. You will not be able to register your dog with the AKC if that is what you mean by having "papers" for her, without proof of her parentage and their AKC registration.

I would call your local shelter to see if they can treat her for a lower price. Unfortunately, some will help but others will only treat animals that are up for adoption. If they can't, they may be able to direct you to a clinic that is lower in cost or has a free first exam. You could also talk to your vet about prescribing some antibiotics. I would ask if they are any antibiotics that can be prescribed at a human pharmacy that might be cheaper. I hope this helps!

I personally never recommend owners give the vaccines to their dogs themselves. They are often improperly stored and handled by non-veterinary professionals, rendering them useless. In addition, they are often administered incorrectly, and there have been many cases where dogs have come down with deadly disease due to this and the improper storing and handling. There are low cost vaccine clinics available thorough the country, and I can give you a link to find a low cost clinic in your area. In addition, I can give you other resources to help you afford the vaccines, including asking if your vet accepts payment plans or applying for Care Credit online. There is also an organization called Red Rover that give grants for treatment of sick animals, and you can see if you qualify for one of their grants. Best Friends also has a list of resources that offer financial assistance on their website. http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/trouble_affording_pet.html?credit=web_id91754962 https://www.redrover.org https://www.carecredit.com http://bestfriends.org/resources/financial-aid-pets http://lessonsfromaparalyzeddog.com/when-pet-owners-cant-afford-veterinary-bills/ God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help.
 The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information.
 Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. Check out these resources to help you afford vaccines for your dogs :-)

I assume by papers you mean his vaccine records. It’s ideal to have the vaccine records but in general it is not necessary. The best thing to do is call the veterinarian where you plan to take him to be seen and double check with them. Best of luck and please feel free to post any additional questions.

In most cases, you'll need owner permission in order for records to be transferred over, so while you can contact the vet, you may not be able to obtain full records. That said, they may at least be able to confirm neuter/vaccine status for you so you can let your vet know. If you can't get any records, you can also have your current vet perform a titer test to see where Wooly's immunity levels are, and then booster vaccines from there.

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I'd be careful getting updates from the receptionist. They tend to not have any medical background or even the full story. I would call to ask to speak with the Vet who saw your dog or the practice owner or manager. Get the true story. Maybe they can tell you which shelter and if it wasn't expensive you can pay your bill. I doubt they had you sign paper work under false pretenses. We as vets don't want animals to suffer or die with out treatment. That is why we offer to take over their care at our own expense. There is a lot of emotional and compassion fatigue with in our profession and I can be 100% sure they did this to benefit your pet and not to purposely hurt or trick you. Good luck!

There isn't a central organization, no. Most veterinary clinics that aren't open 24/7 usually have answering services, or will have a message of who/where you can call for services if your pet is injured and needs emergency care in your area.