Environment and planning > Animal welfare >

Animals - stray

The Council has a legal duty to deal with stray animals:

The council has a duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 section 149 to collect and detain stray dogs.

The Council also has the power to dispose of the dogs if they remain unclaimed.

When dealing with stray dogs we will take into account the relevant provisions of:

• the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991
• the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996
• the Control of Dogs Order 1992
• the Protection of Animals Act 1911
• the Abandonment of Animals Act 1960
• any other relevant legislation

The Environmental Protection Act 1990 Sec 150 requires the finder of of a stray dog to:

• return the dog to its owner; or
• contact the local authority for the area in which the dog was found; or
• take the dog to the police station nearest to where the dog was found.

If the finder fails to take one of these courses of action, he will have commited an offence and would be liable, upon conviction, to a fine.

If the finder requests to keep the dog, he must supply the officer with his contact details and details of the dog. The officer is required to keep a record of these details.

Regulations require that the officer makes appropriate enquiries to ascertain that the finder is a suitable person to keep the dog.

The finder must then be informed verbally and in writing that he is obliged to keep the dog (if unclaimed by the owner) for not less than one month and that failure to comply with that obligation is a criminal offence.

Under the Animal Act 1971 the Council can impound any livestock which has strayed onto Council land.

The animals are only returned to their owners after payment for any damages and expenses incurred.

Livestock that has strayed onto private land may also be impounded, at the written request of the landowner.

If known, the owner of the animal will be informed that the animal has strayed onto Council land, and giving details of where it can be collected withindays, subject to the payment for any damage caused, and expense incurred.

We will notify the police of the straying animal and inform them that we intend to impound it.

The animal will be returned, on satisfactory proof of ownership and the payment for any damage caused, and expense incurred.

If any animal has not been claimed after a certain number of days, it will be sold. If the owner appears after this time and produces satisfactory proof of ownership, any monies received will be given to the owner less the cost of any damage caused, and expense incurred.