Stray dogs
It is illegal to allow your dog to stray. Our dog warden can seize any dog they believe to be straying. This means any dog which is off its owner's property and outside of its owner's control.
If you find a dog you must return it to its owner or inform either the police or the council. Failure to do so is a criminal offence.
To report a current stray dog please call our contractors on 01732 876181.
For all other dog related issues, including repeated strays, please use the reporting form. Reports will be dealt with during office hours.
Once you've made a report and provided your details you may choose to keep the dog. If you do, by law you must:
- keep the dog personally for a minimum of one month
- give up custody at any time if its rightful owner requests its return
If you pass the dog over to our warden they will make every effort to reunite it with its owner at that time. Outside of office hours, dogs will be taken straight to kennels unless they have a tag with clear contact details.
Charges
If your dog strays and we can return it without taking it to kennels, there will be statutory fine of £25.
If you reclaim your dog at a later date, you will be responsible for any costs involved. These include:
- a statutory fine of £25
- an additional charge of £82.50 if the dog had been taken to the kennels
- kennelling fees, which are calculated on a daily basis
- any veterinary costs
Rehoming dogs
Stray dogs can be rehomed after seven days of being kept in kennels. We are glad to say that most strays that remain unclaimed are successfully rehomed. If the dog is very ill or extremely aggressive, however, it may have to be destroyed.
Legal title to the dog will rest with the new owner once it is rehomed.