Animals - stray
Summary
From the 6th
April 2008, Local Authorities became responsible for all stray dogs. Blaby's Dog Wardens collect stray dogs from a variety
of public places, members of the public on request and also from Police stations.
How to report a lost or found dog
- Contact us by telephone, e-mail, online form or by coming into the Council. Please note, e-mails and online forms will only be dealt with during opening hours. To make a report outside of opening hours, please contact us by telephone on the number listed under 'Contact us'.
- Information we will need from you:
- your full name;
- your full address including your postcode;
- your home telephone number and a number which we can contact you on during normal office hours if this is different;
- your email address (if applicable);
- details of the dog (whether it is one you have lost or a stray you have managed to detain), and;
- the area the dog was lost/found;
- how you would like us to respond to you.
Online forms
Further information
A dog is classified as a stray if it is unleashed or unsupervised in any public place or private place where it is not permitted to be, whether or not it is wearing an identification tag.
All dogs, when in a public place must wear a collar and tag which clearly shows on it the name and address of the dog owner. It is an offence against the law not to do so, and the owner will be liable to be prosecuted and fined. Even if your dog is micro-chipped, or tattooed, it still needs to wear a collar and tag.
If a dog is not claimed by its owner within 7 clear days then the Council will attempt to re-home it or destroy it.
Have you lost your dog?
If you have lost a dog which you think might be in the care of our Dog Warden, please visit our stray/found dog’s web page (please see 'Related pages' below), or contact the Dog Wardens on the relevant number below.
Charges
The current charges for collection of strays (from 1st April 2011 to 31st March 2012):
- £35.00 - Stray Dog Fee (includes £25 statutory fine)
- £10.00 - Kennelling per day or part of day
- Any Vet fees incurred must also be paid prior to release
How we determine charges
Unidentified dog
If a dog is found straying and it has no form of identification providing contact details of the owner, it will be taken to kennels and the owner will have to pay charges a, b, and c (where incurred). Owners will be given the opportunity to pay an additional fee to get their dog microchipped at the Council's microchipping clinic (see link below).
Identified dogs
If a dog is found straying and has identification providing contact details of the owner, the Dog Wardens will check our records to determine whether the dog has been dealt with as a stray previously by the Council.
If it is the first time the dog has been found straying, the Dog Wardens will attempt to return the dog to its owner free of charge. Please note, however, that this return policy only operates during office hours due to the fact that the evening out of hours stray dogs service is an emergency service only.
If the owner is not contactable or unable to collect / accept the dog immediately, the dog will be taken to kennels and the owner will have to pay charges a, b, and c (where incurred).
If it not the first time the dog has been found straying, the dog will be taken to kennels and the owner will have to pay charges a, b, and c (where incurred).
All owners of identified dogs will be served written notice advising them that their dog has been seized if they have not claimed their dog by the end of the first working day.
Owners in receipt of means tested benefits
Owners in receipt of any of the benefits listed below are eligible for a 50% discount off charges a and b above. Proof of benefit will be required when claiming your dog. Please note that this discount is discretionary and may be withdrawn from owners of dogs repeatedly found straying.
- Income support
- Working families tax credit (means tested not child element)
- Job seekers allowance
- Pension credit
- Industrial injury benefit
- Council tax benefit
- Housing benefit
- Incapacity benefit / Employment support allowance
Related pages on this website
Contact us
| Officer / Team | Dog Warden Service |
|---|---|
| Postal address | Blaby District Council Council Offices Desford Road Narborough Leicester LE19 2EP |
| E-mail address | environmental.health@blaby.gov.uk |
| Telephone | 0116 272 7555 (08:45am - 17:00pm Monday to Friday, excluding Bank Holidays) |
| Out of hours | 07823 533 290 (17.00pm and 21.00pm Monday to Friday or 09.00am to 21.00pm on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays) |
| Fax | 0116 272 7594 |
If you need this information in other languages or formats (large print, Braille or audio), please let us know when you contact us.
This page was last updated on 5th April 2011
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