Richmondshire District Council has a legal duty to deal with stray
dogs:
Dogs
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
If you find a stray dog you should either:
- Return the dog to its owner yourself; or
- during office hours - contact the local authority for the area
in which the dog was found; or
- out of office hours - call 0845 2417253
- If the finder fails to take one of these courses of action, he
will have committed 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.
Click Here for ' Council Advice
for Dog Owners '
For further information email
streetscene@richmondshire.gov.uk
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