Collecting stray dogs

We have a legal duty to collect and detain stray dogs if they are roaming in a public place without an owner present.

Stevenage Borough Council works in partnership with Noah's Ark Environmental Services Limited to provide a confined stray dog collection service 24-hours a day, 7 days a week.

If you find a stray dog, look on the collar for contact details and try to return it to its owner. Your local vet may be able to scan the dog to check if it is microchipped. To arrange for Noah’s Ark to collect the dog please contact them as follows:

Monday to Friday 9am - 5pm phone 0333 577 5070.

Monday to Friday 5pm - 9am plus Weekends and Bank holidays phone 01733 740426.

You can also email office@noahsark-environmental.co.uk (this inbox is not monitored outside office hours).

They will aim to visit within 2 hours to collect the dog.

If you are unable to confine the stray dog, provide Noah’s Ark with as much information as possible:

• The colour, size and if possible, the breed of the dog.
• Details of any injury or distress.
• The location or landmark where it was last seen.
• Information such as if you have seen it regularly going to the same place, perhaps to feed.

If the dog is acting dangerously or causing distress in a public place (including dogs causing disruption / danger to traffic), you should contact the Police who deal with dangerous dogs.

Any dog that is found and collected as a stray is scanned for a microchip and checked for tattoos and tags which may identify the owner. The legal owner will receive a fine and charges to cover the cost of collecting and detaining a dog. This must be paid before the dog is returned. See our Environmental Health Fees and Charges.

We always try to contact the dog’s owner and re-unite. Where this is not possible, we will make every effort to ensure that it is re-homed.

Lost Dogs

Any dogs collected by Noah’s Ark will be listed on the Lost Dog website. You should also contact local vets.

Legislation

Under the provisions of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 it is an offence for a dog to stray in the street or other public place. Section 150 of the Act requires the finder 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.

If the finder fails to take one of these courses of action, they will have committed an offence and would be liable to a fine if convicted.

If the finder requests to keep the dog, they must supply the officer with their 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 they are 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.

Dangerous dogs

If the dog is acting dangerously or causing distress in a public place (including dogs causing disruption / danger to traffic), you should contact the Police who deal with dangerous dogs.

We will make a charge to cover the cost of detaining a dog. This must be paid before the dog is returned. See our Environmental Health Fees and Charges

We always try to return a dog to its owner. Where this is not possible, we will make every effort to ensure that it is re-homed.

If you find a stray dog

The Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 150 requires the finder 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.

If the finder fails to take one of these courses of action, they will have committed an offence and would be liable to a fine if convicted.

If the finder requests to keep the dog, they must supply the officer with their 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 they are 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.

Livestock

Under the Animal Act 1971, we can impound any livestock which has strayed onto Council land. 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 within a given time, subject to the payment for any damage caused, and expense incurred.

Livestock that has strayed onto private land may also be impounded, at the written request of the landowner. The animals are only returned to their owners after payment for any damages and expenses incurred. We will notify the police of the straying animal and inform them that we intend to impound it.

After a certain time, we will arrange for the animal to be impounded and removed to a suitable establishment where it will be held. 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 given time, 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.