Animal welfare

Responsible dog ownership

All dogs must be kept under control at all times. This includes preventing them from being aggressive, straying, barking unnecessarily and keeping them on a lead where appropriate. Not all dogs are friendly towards other dogs, the attention may be unwanted and lead to problems. You should also be aware that some adults and children are afraid of dogs.

By law, all dogs must wear a collar and tag stating the owner's name and address. In cases where a dog becomes lost, it helps to reunited with its owner. It also means that our Animal Welfare Officer is less likely to be involved and you will avoids any costs being incurred.

Take the Lead

It is against the law to let your dog be out of control anywhere, including in your own home. Your dog is considered dangerously out of control if it injures someone, makes someone worried it might injure them, attacks an animal or if the owner of an animal thinks they could be injured trying to stop such an attack.

Owners whose dogs are dangerously out of control could get an unlimited fine and be sent to prison for up to six months.

Our Animal Welfare Officer explains how important it is to keep your dog under control in the short video below:

Most dog owners are very responsible when it comes to keeping their pets under control. Unfortunately, there are those who are not and put other animals and owners at risk by failing to use a lead when necessary or failing to keep their pet securely in their property.

Dog owners are being asked to take the lead when it comes to keeping their pets under control.

It is especially important to use a lead if:

• you know your dog does not listen to commands
• you are around wildlife or children
• your dog is likely to be a nuisance to other owners

Contact our Animal Welfare Officer if you are aware of a dog which is out of control or considered a danger.

Report a lost or found dog

We only respond to secured strays but will take reports of lost, roaming or nuisance dogs.

We log reports of lost and found domestic pets, so if your pet is missing you can report it to us. Details of where your pet was last seen and any distinguishing features will help us answer your query.

Contact us or call 01256 844844

Stray dogs fees

Upon catching a dog, we will try to contact the owner if the address or telephone number is known. Ownership also may be identified by a collar with tag, or by microchip.

When it is the first time the dog has strayed we will only charge the 'Returned to owner without kennelling' fee:

• if the dog is returned to its owner within half an hour of collection
• any additional time, before we have taken the dog to the kennels, as deemed appropriate by our Animal Walfare Officer

If the owner cannot be contacted or is not at home, the dog will be taken to the council's kennelling facility and there will be further fees for the dog's return.

If the dog is collected out of hours and kennelled, the out of hours collection fee will apply in addition to kennelling fees. If the captured dog is to be returned to its owner out of hours but not kennelled, only the out of hours collection fee will be required. This must be paid to our stray dog contractor before the dog can be returned. This can only be done if the dog’s microchip details are up to date. In this situation owners will need to make immediate arrangements to receive the dog. The discretionary charge will also apply if the dog has strayed before.

If a stray dog isn’t claimed within seven days, the dog's ownership defaults to the council who may then take steps to rehome the dog. If a dog is not reclaimed after seven days it is usually rehomed by a dog rescue centre, but not in the area near to where the dog was originally found.

Dogs will be assessed, have their new home checked, and will be neutered to prevent further unwanted litters. Dogs are not put to sleep unless they are suffering from severe illness or are too dangerous to rehome.

Giving up your pet

If you cannot continue to look after your pet and need to rehome you can either:

• email our Animal Welfare Officer who can provide advice and signpost to the relevant organisation in most of the cases
• contact the local RSPCA branch

Neutering

We would always recommend to get your dog, cat, rabbit or fetter neutered at an appropriate age. This can often help with behaviour, but also will avoid situations where the female pet unintentionally become pregnant with the resultant unwanted puppies, kittens or kits.

The local RSPCA branch may be able to assist you with getting your pet neutered, they also offer a neutering scheme for people in receipt of benefits. The RSPCA, Dogs Trust and Blue Cross, amongst others, offer low cost options or vouchers. Please note that you must meet certain criteria to receive the low cost option or vouchers.

Animals and the heat

Never leave your pet in hot cars, conservatories, outbuildings or caravans, even if it's just for a short time.

If you feel that an animal is at risk of harm due to being exposed to excessive heat, please call the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 or 999 in an emergency.

More information on keeping your pet cool during summer can be found on RSPCA website.

Related

1. Animal licensing
2. Barking dogs
3. Fireworks and pets
4. Code of practice for the welfare of dogs