Lost and Stray Dogs

The Council is responsible for dealing with stray dogs found at anytime during the day or night. We do not have a Dog Warden but we use a company called Clements Environmental Services, (CES), who collect strays and take them to a registered kennel. If a dog is not claimed within 7 days, it is re-homed and after one month it becomes the property of the new owner. We have a policy of not destroying stray dogs unless it is to avoid suffering.

If you have lost a dog
Contact CES on 01932 425718 or 07886 498003 (24 hours) to see if a dog that fits the description of your dog has been collected and taken to the kennels. Also phone your local Police Station, to report the lost dog.

To reclaim a dog you will have to pay the following statutory fee and charges. You will also need to make your own arrangements to collect the dog from the kennels.

• £25 - statutory fee +
• £75 - collection charges to EBC
• Any veterinary bills
  Kennelling charges per night payable to the Kennel

Alternatively if a dog is microchipped, and an accurate address for its owner can be obtained, it will be returned directly by the Dog Warden for a lesser fee of £40.

Payment can be made:

• By debit/credit card - over the telephone or at the Civic Centre (note: a surcharge will be applied to credit card transactions)
• In cash

If you have found a dog
Contact CES on 01932 425718 or 07886 498003 (24 hours) to arrange to have the dog collected from you. The Police no longer accept or collect stray dogs.

If you want to keep a stray dog
Contact the |Environmental Services team for advice. We can release a stray dog into your care and, if the dog is not claimed within one month, it will become yours.

What about a dangerous dog?
Please advise the Police if a dog has tried to bite someone or is very aggressive. The Police, however, cannot do anything about an aggressive dog unless it is dangerously out of control, in a public place. If this is the case, action can be taken under Section 3 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991.

Car accidents involving a dog
When a dog is injured or killed in an accident involving a vehicle on the road, the accident must be reported to the Police.

Neighbouring Councils
If your dog has strayed and we have no record of it, you can check with neighbouring Councils:

For further information see:

• |Dogs and the Law
• |Dog Fouling
• |Lost Dogs