Stray dogs
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The dog warden service deals with complaints and reports of stray dogs and lost dogs. |
Report a stray dog
In dog warden office hours:
Do not approach or attempt to capture a stray dog, they can be potentially dangerous. You should either:
- Contact us to report a stray dog
- If the dog is aggressive in a public place, contact the police on 101
- Always give a full description of the dog, where it was last seen and what time
Outside dog warden office hours:
If you find a stray dog outside our normal office hours, you should:
- Take the dog to the stray dog reception centre . This can be arranged by appointment by ringing 07525 988 061
- Return the dog directly to the owner, if details are known
- Keep the dog until we can be contacted the next working day
Please note that we do not operate a collection service outside of office hours, and the police do not accept stray dogs.
What happens to a stray dog?
A first time stray may be returned to its owner if it is wearing an identification tag, or it is microchipped and it can be returned immediately (by law, a dog in a public place must wear a collar with an identification tag containing the owner's name and address).
If a dog is deemed to be a stray it will be seized and taken to the Council kennel and kept for seven days. If the owner is known, they will be contacted and will be expected to retrieve the dog as soon as possible. Before a dog is released, the owner must pay a stray charge of £55.00, plus the cost of kennelling (approx. £7 per day) and veterinary treatment (if needed).
If a dog remains unclaimed after seven days, we become the owner of the dog. We will re-home or in certain circumstances, humanely destroy the dog.
Collar and identification tag
Apart from very specific exemptions, every dog on a highway or in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on it or on a plate or badge attached to it. Failure to do so is an offence against the
Animal Health Act 1981 of which an owner can be prosecuted and fined. Any dog without a collar, on a highway or in a public place, may be treated as a stray dog and seized by the Local Authority.