Stray dogs
Our responsibilities
North Devon Council has a legal duty to collect and detain stray dogs. We also have the power to dispose of the dogs if they remain unclaimed.
Our dog warden will take found dogs to authorised kennels.
NDC also has responsibilities on stray livestock.
Your responsibilities
The law requires that the finder of a stray dog to:
Our responsibilities
North Devon Council has a legal duty to collect and detain stray dogs. We also have the power to dispose of the dogs if they remain unclaimed.
Our dog warden will take found dogs to authorised kennels.
NDC also has responsibilities on stray livestock.
Your responsibilities
The law requires that 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; or
- take the dog to the police station nearest to where the dog was found
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 or she must supply the officer with
If the finder requests to keep the dog, he or she must supply the officer with
- his contact details
- details of the dog
The officer must
- keep a record of finder's details
- make appropriate enquiries to determine whether the finder is a suitable person to keep the dog
- inform the finder 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
Kennelling charges
If your dog is found and we have to take it to kennels, you may be liable for fines, fees and charges, including:
If your dog is found and we have to take it to kennels, you may be liable for fines, fees and charges, including:
- statutory fine - £25
- boarding (first 24 hours) - £10
- boarding (subsequent) - £11.50
- any required veterinary costs, for example if the dog is injured
- other relevant fees
some of these charges will also attract VAT.
To contact the Customer Service Centre:
Telephone: 01271 388870
For Typetalk: precede with 18001
Fax: 01271 388451
Email: customerservices@northdevon.gov.uk
Textphone (callers must have Typetalk compatible equipment; this number does not support voice communication or SMS): 01271 388786 (during our normal working hours)
Web form: send us a web enquiry
Our office hours are 8.30 am to 5.00 pm Monday to Friday.
For further information see the Environmental Health service contact page
