Stray Dogs
Seizure of stray dogs
Cambridgeshire Police is not responsible for stray dogs. Stray dogs will not be accepted at any Police Station within South Cambridgeshire at any time, including outside regular office hours and weekends.
It is a legal requirement that every dog in a public place must wear a collar and tag with identification. This law enables anyone who has found a stray dog to contact its’ owner.
The council can seize any dog wandering in a public place alone as a stray and take it to a kennel. Owners must pay a seizure and kennelling fee (see below fees) before the dog can be released. If the dog is not claimed within 7 days, we will sign it to the kennels for possible re-homing. As the former owner, you will lose all rights to its return.
Fees
- prescribed dog seizure fee- £25
- transportation/admin fee- £57
- kennelling fee- £20 per day (plus VAT and veterinary fees (if applicable)
If you have lost your dog
Call us on 01954 713 000
Lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am to 5:30pm to check if your dog has been reported found. Your dog may have been found by someone nearby who still has it.
When reporting leave as many details as possible about the dog and where it was last seen, so we can contact you if it is found. You should also contact Wood Green Pets Charity to check if they know where it is.
If the dog has been seized and taken to the council's kennels (Wood Green), you must pay a seizure and kennelling fee before your dog can be released. You must pay the fee when collecting your dog at Wood Green, where you will be given a receipt. If the office is closed, you must wait until business hours.
If you find a stray dog
Do not approach a dog if you are unsure whether it is friendly. If you find a stray dog and you are comfortable doing so place a lead on the dog to keep it under control. Look for a phone number on the dog’s collar and call the owner. If there is no collar, take a picture of the dog and place it on local social media pages. Lastly, you can take the dog to WoodGreen but call ahead first on 0300 303 9333.
If you are not comfortable taking the dog to WoodGreen then you can call us on 01954 713 000 and we can arrange for a Dog Warden to collect the animal.
Be aware that we cannot guarantee same-day collection. If you find a stray dog after 3:30 p.m., we cannot collect the dog until the next working day. Note that Monday is the next working day after Friday.
If you find a stray dog and want to keep it
If you find a stray dog and want to keep it, you will need to let us know. It is possible to retain the dog, but you must agree to keep it at your address for 1 month as "found property." You must give the dog to the original owner if they come to claim it.
If you decide during the month that you do not wish to keep the dog, you must hand over the dog to us. You are not allowed to give it to a friend or relative.
Dangerous dogs
If you see a dog you believe is dangerously out of control or a threat to the public, contact your local police station.
If you have concerns about a dog's welfare that could make it a danger, contact us with as much information as possible so we can investigate.
If a dog is dangerously out of control in public or in a private place where it is not permitted, the owner and the person who was in charge of the dog at the time are guilty of an offence.
Dangerously out of control means "any occasion on which there are grounds for reasonable apprehension that it will injure any person." This means the dog may not have injured anyone so far.
Animal welfare and cruelty
If you believe an animal is mistreated by its owner, contact the RSPCA first. Then contact us to investigate. You can call us on 01954 713 000 or email us at env.health@scambs.gov.uk .
Dog fouling
It is generally an offence for anyone in charge of a dog to allow it to foul unless they clear it up. If there is a persistent problem with dog fouling in your area, we have several options which include:
- investigating, issuing warnings, issuing fixed penalty notices, or prosecuting persons in charge who fail to clear up after their dog - providing you know who that person is, have witnessed the incident, and are prepared to give a statement and possibly go to court
- assess whether there are adequate facilities for the disposal of dog mess in the area
- arrange for clearances of heavily fouled areas
Barking dogs
If you have a problem with a barking dog in your area you can use the online portal to inform us of this at Report an environmental issue or you can call 01954 713 000 and ask for the Environmental Health service.
When you contact us, provide us with your name and contact details so we can keep you updated with your enquiry.