Lost, found or stray dogs
Contents
- Overview
- Report a lost dog
- Report you've found a dog
- Report a stray dog
- Dog fouling
Overview
The dog warden is required by law to collect any dog that is unaccompanied on public land. This is to stop issues, such as:
- causing road accidents
- endangering members of the public
- dog fouling on public land
- potential health risks to the dog
The law also states that all dogs should wear a collar that shows the owner's name and address. This can be on the collar itself or attached to it by a plate or badge.
The maximum penalty for a dog not wearing a collar is £5,000.
Under new microchipping law, all dogs and puppies must be microchipped and their details kept up to date. If you do not do so, you could face a fine of up to £500.
Report a lost dog
If you have lost a dog, reporting it to us means we can try and match it to any found or stray dog reports recently sent to us.
The first thing the dog warden will do is check our register to see if there is a match. If there is, they can help to reunite you and your dog - who will likely be at West Hall Boarding Kennels and Cattery.
If we have no matching dog, we will keep the report on our register for 28 days. If a match happens after your report, the dog warden will be in touch as soon as possible.
If the dog is taken to the kennels, owners will need to pay a charge to claim their dog. This charge includes:
| Statutory fee | £25 |
| Travel fee | £13.50 |
| Kennel fee | £9 (per day) |
This means the minimum charge will be £47.50, rising by £9 for every day the dog remains at the kennels.
Dogs are usually only kept at the kennels for a maximum of 30 days. If they have not been reunited by this time, the kennels will look to rehome the dog or transfer it to a rescue centre.
Only in extreme circumstances would the dog be put to sleep.
Alternatively, you can call our customer service team on 0191 433 7000.
Report you've found a dog
If you've found a dog, reporting it to us means we can try and match it to any lost dog reports recently sent to us.
Once you submit your report, the dog warden will check for matches on our register of lost dogs. If there is a match, the dog warden will help reunite the dog with its owner.
If you are happy for your details to be shared with the owner, collection can be done without the dog warden's help.
If there is no match, the dog warden will contact you to discuss the next steps. This will include visiting to try and scan the dog if it has a microchip.
If it has no microchip or collar details, then there are usually two options:
1. We collect the dog from you
After checks are done, the dog warden will take the dog to the kennels - usually West Hall Boarding Kennels and Cattery.
2. You keep the dog temporarily
You can keep the dog temporarily, as long as you inform the police and the dog warden has your details.
The owner can legally claim their dog back for up to 30 days - if this happens you will need to hand the dog back to the owner.
If no one claims the dog within 30 days, you may be able to adopt it.
After seven days, the kennels will try to rehome the dog or transfer it to a rescue centre. Only in extreme circumstances would the dog be put to sleep.
If you decided to the keep the dog temporarily, the dog warden will be in contact to discuss the next steps and options.
Alternatively, you can call our customer service team on 0191 433 7000.
Report a stray dog
The dog warden is required by law to collect any dog that is unaccompanied on public land.
If you see a stray dog, the best thing to do is to try and secure the dog and report it as found.
If you can't secure the dog, or don't feel comfortable doing so, then you can report a stray and the dog warden will try their best to deal with the issue.
If found, they will try to reunite it with its owner or take it to the kennels.
Alternatively, you can call our customer service team on 0191 433 7000.
Dog fouling
The dog warden is also responsible for dealing with issues of dog fouling. According to the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act, a person in charge of a dog has a duty to remove faeces from public areas, including:
- back lanes
- grassed areas
- parks
- streets
- cemeteries
- play areas
If the faeces is not immediately cleared away, the person in charge of the dog will be issued with a £75 fixed penalty.
You can find out more information on the dog fouling page.