If you find a stray dog, the law says you must either:
- return the dog to its owner, if the dog can be identified by an ID tag and you are able to return the dog, and it is safe to do so
- report a stray dog to us and we will arrange collection of the dog
- you can also take the dog to a local vet and ask them to check to see if the dog has a microchip.
Any dog that is out on its own is classed as a stray dog. Any dog that is unsupervised in a public place may be taken by us, or the owner may be served with a fixed penalty notice if the dog is deemed to be causing a nuisance or is not on a lead in a public place or on the highway.
We provide a stray dog collection service Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm. If you find a stray dog during these hours, please report this to us.
We will respond to reports of stray dogs as soon as possible.
If you find a dog outside of office hours, you can ring 01772 625499. This will direct you through to the out of hours contact centre or if possible, keep the dog until the next working day when we will come and collect it.
When a stray dog is collected by us, we will do our best to return the dog to their owner providing the microchip details are correct, if not, the dog will be taken to our contracted kennels.
A dog will be kept for 7 days, after which time it becomes the property of South Ribble Borough Council. The dog is then transferred to one of the dog charities who assist us in finding a suitable home.
Collecting your dog from the kennels
When collecting your dog from the kennels there will be a fee of £145 plus any veterinary fees, this will need to be paid directly us before the dog can be released. You can make payment by calling 01772 625625.
If your dog is not microchipped or the details are incorrect you will be served with a notice instructing you to do this within 21 days. This was made law in 2016 and failure to carry out this instruction will result in an immediate fine.
Re-homing an unwanted dog
Please note not we do not offer a re-homing service. If this is something you are considering, then you can contact various centres such as the Dogs Trust, RSPCA or local charities who may be able assist you.
Dog attacks
If your dog or cat is attacked by another dog, then this should be reported to us by email to info@southribble.gov.uk.
If you have been bitten by a dog, then this should be reported to the police.