Even the best trained dog can be distracted and it only takes a short loss of concentration for the dog to run across a road and cause an accident.
Dog leads
It is a requirement of the Road Traffic Act 1988 that dogs must be held on a lead when on a road, regardless of how well trained the dog is.
Any person who causes or permits a dog to be on a designated road without being held on a lead is guilty of an offence.
Our dog warden will stop and tell people to put their dogs on a lead when walking by a road.
Collars and tags
The Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires dogs to wear a collar and tag with the name and address of their owner whenever it is in a public place.
A public place is defined as any street, park, recreation ground, or open space.
If your dog should happen to escape from the garden or get lost, a collar and tag will enable the dog warden, police or a member of the public to contact you when they find your dog.
The fine for non-compliance can be as much as £5,000.
Microchips
The law does not recognise a microchip or tattoo as a form of identification under this order. A dog is still required to have a collar and tag even if they are mircochipped.
Although our dog warden can check for a microchip, an ordinary member of the public who finds a stray would not be able to.
Microchipping provides the security of knowing that should your dog stray, the chances of being reunited with it will significantly increase. Thousands of pets are lost every year and many are never reunited with their owners — microchipping can change that.
While collars and tags can get caught or removed — microchipping identifies your pet permanently and harmlessly.
