Lost and found dogs

Stray dogs

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, we are required to pick up stray dogs reported to us. We will respond by attending the premises where the dog is being held and attempt to locate the owner by checking for dog tags, microchips etc. 

If we are unable to locate the owner, we will transport the dog to our nominated kennels. Any dog taken to the kennels will be held for 7 days so that the owner can reclaim it and thereafter the legal ownership of the dog is transferred to Wokingham Borough Council, and we will arrange for it to be rehomed (if suitable for rehoming.)

Please note, we do not deal with:

• Rehoming unwanted dogs
• Welfare
• Dangerous dogs
• Lost or found cats
• Serious dog attacks or attacks involving persons
• Injured wildlife

If you have found a dog

Contact us if you find a stray dog. We will pick up stray dogs found in the borough and return them to their owner, if identified. We can only respond to calls where the dog is confined by a member of the public and not to calls of sightings of dogs wandering in streets or open spaces.

To arrange a collection of a stray dog please call 03444 828 320. Collection may take up to 4 hours depending on the time of day, location and volume of work at that time.

You must provide:

• Your name
• Your address
• Your contact details
• The exact location of where the dog was found

If your dog has gone missing

You can check on our Found Dog website to see if we have found your dog. The site provides details of dogs that have been found in the borough and information on how you can claim your dog if we have it.

To check if we have picked up your dog or to claim your dog if you have identified it on the Found Dog website please call us on 03444 828 320 and leave a message. This number is monitored and responded to 7 days a week between 8.30am and 5pm.

If your dog has been picked up and is at our kennels, we will arrange for it to be returned to you.

You must provide proof that you are the most recent keeper and will be required to provide:

• Proof of your residential address (e.g. utility bill, drivers’ licence)
• Proof of ownership (e.g. microchip details, kennel club registration, recent vet bill or vaccination card, purchase receipt, pet insurance certificate and a recent family pet photo.) A photograph alone may not be sufficient to prove ownership.

Please note that we recover our costs, and you are required to pay the fees before your dog is returned to you. A schedule of fees is shown below.

If we have not picked up your lost dog you can also:

• Contact neighbouring councils as dogs may wander
• Advise our microchip database administrator that you have lost your dog
• Call 101 if you think your dog may have been stolen
• Visit the Dog Lost website - a free national database of lost and found dogs
• Contact local kennels and charities, local vet surgeries and animal hospitals

Fees for claiming your dog

• Statutory Fee: £25.00
• Collection Fee: £51.70
• Returning your dog from kennels: £85.00
• Daily kennelling fee: £30.00 per day

If your dog has strayed and been involved in an accident or has been found to require veterinary attention, it may be taken to a vet. If this is the case, you will also be liable for the payment of the vet fees.

Our contractor, SDK Environmental, will collect fees due on behalf of the Council by debit or credit card.

Preventing your dog from straying is the owner's responsibility. Remember it is a legal requirement that your dog wears a collar and tag bearing your name and address when in a public place. The penalty for non compliance is a fine up to £2,000.

The law requires all dogs in England to be correctly microchipped. This will ensure that your contact details can be easily traced should your pet ever be lost or stolen. Remember to update your pet's microchip details when moving home or changing telephone numbers. Failure to correctly microchip your dog can result in criminal prosecution and a £500 fine.

Yes, you can request to keep a stray dog

If you find a stray dog you can request to keep the dog. However, you can't pass the dog on to another person to look after.

Process for keeping a stray dog

If you choose to keep the dog, there is a process that must be followed:

Our Animal Warden will visit you to scan the dog looking for a microchip containing the registered owner’s details, photograph it and note any identifying features (breed, size, gender and colour). This information will be used to try to locate the dog’s owner and reunite them where possible.

Legislation requires that our Animal Warden determines whether you are a suitable person to keep the dog. This will be carried out by means of a home check which assesses the following factors:

• Size, location and suitability of your home, looking at issues such as garden space and fence height.
• Your lifestyle - are there babies and young children present, what are your working hours and how long will the dog be left alone.
• Whether it is a suitable environment for the type of dog
• Proximity to the registered owner’s home (if applicable)

What happens next?

• If our Animal Warden is satisfied with your suitability, you will be given a legal notice. This explains that you are legally obliged to keep the dog (if unclaimed by the owner) for at least 28 days and that failure to comply with that obligation is a criminal offence. This is to prevent the dog from being abandoned or let loose and becoming a stray again. By accepting this notice you are accepting the dog, including known and unknown conditions/traits /behaviours and are responsible for its welfare and veterinary care.

• You will have to pay any expenses incurred in looking after the dog.
• The home check doesn't assess the temperament of the dog. The only way for it to be properly assessed is for us to take and kennel it.
• If the dog is not claimed by the rightful owner within 7 days of kennelling it will be put up for rehoming.
• If, at any time, a person claims the dog, and is able to prove they are the rightful owner, you will have to give the dog back.
• After the 28 days have elapsed you must neuter the dog. For advice on when it is suitable to have a dog neutered, contact a reputable veterinary practice.