Finding and 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:

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

• 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 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. You also acknowledge that any expenses incurred in looking after the dog, for whatever duration, will be your own and not claimable against the Council or legal owner of the dog. 

• The home check does not formally assess the temperament of the dog.  The only way for it to be properly assessed is for us to take and kennel it, whereby it will be assessed after it’s 7 days ‘claim time’.  If the dog is not claimed by the rightful owner within those seven days it will be put up for re-homing. 

• The dog will never be legally yours, but under your custodianship. If a person claims the dog, is able to prove they are the rightful owner and requests it’s return, then you will have to relinquish custodianship. There is no cut-off date after which the legal owner cannot claim the dog back, they can do so at any time. 

• After the 28 days has lapsed you must neuter the dog.  For advice on when it is suitable to have a dog neutered, contact a reputable veterinary practice.

Ideally, any stray dog should be taken and put into our kennels where they are well looked after and properly assessed.  That way if it is not claimed within 7 days, so long as you meet the kennel’s criteria, you can apply to become the dog’s legal owner. 

For any further help or information please contact our Animal Warden on 0118 974 6356 or email environmental.health@wokingham.gov.uk