Dogs
Stray Dogs
The dog warden collects contained stray dogs within the borough. These dogs are then taken to the council's nominated kennel. Dogs will be made available for rehoming if they are not claimed within seven full days from the time they arrive at the kennels. Please note that we do not have a Dog Warden service available 24 hours a day.
If you have found a dog and have it contained call us on 01233 331111 or complete the online report a stray dog form.
For any dog related enquiries please complete our online enquiry form.
Lost Dogs
If you have lost a dog contact us on 01233 331111 so that we can check our stray dog records.
You can also register your lost or stolen dog with Dog Lost or report a lost or found dog online.
If your dog is found in the borough and taken to our nominated kennels, it will only be released to you if we are satisfied that you are the owner. You will also have to pay the required fees.
Dog Fouling
Dog owners are expected to carry a sufficient amount of plastic bags to pick up dog waste. Failure to pick up your dog waste can result in a fine or even prosecution.
You can dispose of dog waste in any street litter bin, or you can take the waste home for disposal in your household refuse bin. Please be aware that we are removing dog bins across the borough – these will be replaced with a street litter bin if there are no other bins close by and there is adequate space.
Dangerous Dogs
It's against the law to let a dog be dangerously out of control anywhere whether it's a public or private place. If you see an XL Bully without a muzzle or lead in public after 31 December 2023, please report this to the police. For guidance on XL Bully breed type, please refer to the guidance provided by DEFRA.
Police deal with:
- Dangerous dogs (Dangerous Dogs Act 1991);
- Dogs attacks on humans in cases where skin is broken and the dog attacked the human directly;
- Dogs straying onto the motorway;
- Reports of illegal breeds (XL Bully, American Pit Bull Terrier, Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro).
Dog Warden deals with:
- Out of control dogs in a public area
- Where a human is bitten accidently whilst trying to separate dogs.
You can report any of the issues above to the police, using their online form.
Dog on dog attacks are a civil matter. However, in certain circumstances we will intervene to ensure the offending dog owner is reminded of their responsibility. We will make sure the dog is not out of control. Once the report is received, action is taken depending on the circumstances.
