Preventing dogs from becoming stray, reporting them and claiming them
 
A dog

It is every dog owner's responsibility to ensure that their dog is not allowed to stray.

Unsupervised or stray dogs can be a hazard: they can cause and be injured or killed in road traffic accidents, and a motorist braking to avoid a dog could easily hit a pedestrian, cyclist or another car.

Stray dogs will be collected and delivered to kennels, and in order to claim the dog the owner will be required to pay a statutory charge of £25 plus all other costs incurred (such as transport, kennelling and veterinary costs).

There is strict legislation to assist the dog warden in dealing with stray dogs.

Finding stray dogs

If you find a stray dog you are legally required to report it to the dog warden in the area in which the dog was found.

If you find a stray dog within Cambridge City boundaries, please telephone 01223 457900; you will be asked to give a full description of the dog, details about the location it found as well as the date and time the dog was found.

The warden will collect the dog and take it to our kennels.

If you find a dog in the evening or at the weekend, you should telephone our emergency out-of-hours number, 01223 457457, who will arrange for someone to collect the dog from you.

To report stray dogs found in other areas of Cambridgeshire, please contact the appropriate Council below:

Unclaimed stray dogs

We keep the dog in kennels for seven days.

If the dog is not claimed in this time the former owner loses rights to its return, and an animal charity can then offer the dog for re-homing.

Lost dogs

If you lose your dog you should telephone the dog warden immediately on 01223 457900.

You will be asked for a full description of your dog, details of where and when it was lost, as well as information of the dog's tag, collar and microchip if applicable.

Keeping stray dogs

It is possible to keep a stray dog which you have found. However it is very important that you contact the Council so that the dog warden can fill in the relevant form for you.

If you change your mind about keeping the dog within the first month of finding it, the dog must be returned to the dog warden; it cannot be given to a friend or relative.

The dog legally remains 'found property' and never truly becomes the property of the finder.

Legislation

Any dog found wandering alone in a public place is classed as a stray and will be dealt with by the dog warden under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

There may be an additional offence under the Road Traffic Act 1988 if the dog was found on a public highway.

If after an initial warning a dog is found on a highway, the dog warden may prosecute the owner through the magistrate's court, with a maximum fine of £200.

Contact

To report a stray dog please contact the Customer Service Centre on 01223 457900.

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