Responsibility for stray animals

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 determined that every Local Authority should appoint an officer for dealing with stray dogs.

We have two part time dog wardens with a full time office based team leader. These staff come from a dog based background and so have a wealth of experience which they are happy to share. So if we don't know the answer we know someone who will.

When a stray dog is picked up in the City the dog wardens immediately check the lost register. If you do lose your dog report the fact immediately to the dog warden service. If you wait for too long before reporting the loss the dog may well have been impounded in the meantime and payment will be required for retrieval.

Law

The law is very clear that every dog should wear a collar and tag bearing the name and address of it's owner when in a public place no matter whether it is on a lead or not, with the exception of some working dogs.

Other methods of identification can be useful if the collar and tag have been lost but a tag will supply immediate information whereas a third party needs to be contacted in the case of tattoos or microchips.

If you find a dog you must report it to your dog warden - it is a criminal offence not to do so. Some people automatically assume a stray dog has been abandoned but in the majority of cases there is a distraught owner looking for it. 

We have a legal obligation to retain a stray dog for a period of at least seven days after which time it becomes our property. If it remains unclaimed it is passed on to a rescue centre for re-homing.

Stolen dogs are still an issue countrywide and we would recommend that you do not leave your dog in the garden whilst you are out or leave it tied up in a public place and unattended.

Ultimately though any lost dog is the responsibility of it's owner, so you should make sure that you know where your dog is at all times.

Page last reviewed 16 Sep 2008