Stray dogs
Owning a dog is a big responsibility that includes some legal obligations such as microchipping your dog and ensuring that it doesn’t cause a hazard or nuisance.
However, many people don’t know that if they find a stray dog, they have a legal responsibility too.
By law, all dogs must be microchippedOpens in new tab and have a collar with a tag. Information on the microchip a collar tag must be kept up to date. This is particularly important because if your dog goes missing, having the correct details means your pet can be returned to you.
If you’re struggling with the cost of microchipping your pet, we occasionally hold free events and will advertise the location, date and times. Alternatively, the Blue Cross offer free microchippingOpens in new tab.
You must take care of your pet and ensure they are vaccinated and receive regular health checks from a vet. We recommend taking out pet insurance for your pets.
You also must clean up after your pet and not allow it to cause a nuisance.
Visit the website GOV.UK - Report a stray dog,Opens in new tab enter your postcode and contact your local council.
For dogs that go missing in the Derby area please fill in the online form.
Or telephone 0333 200 6981
You will be asked to give the following details:
- your name, address, phone number
- details of the dog, including name, breed and description, colour, sex and any tag or microchip details.
- where you last saw your dog.
After this, check the Derby City Stray Dogs Facebook pageOpens in new tab as we may already have your dog in our care.
If we have collected your dog we will check the tag or microchip details plus try and contact you to return the dog back to you.
Upon successful immediate return, you will be required to pay a £25 Government levy before your dog can be released back to you.
If there are no owner's details, you cannot be contacted straight away, or you cannot pay the required levy, the dog will be taken into care by the Council.
If a dog is collected on more than one occasion, this may result in the dog being taken straight to kennels.
If you contact us within the first 8 days since the dog was taken into care, you will be required to pay an appropriate reclaim charge in full, by cash or card. We will then make arrangements for you to collect your dog. In some circumstances, we may return the dog, but this will be at a charge of an additional £24 transport fee.
Charges are based on the number of days your dog has been kept in kennels, including the collection, administration fee and £25 Government levy.
There will be an additional £25 to pay if your dog is collected or delivered to the kennels out of hours.
The law requires your dog to be microchipped and the details to be kept up to date. If your dog requires microchipping before release, there is a charge of £15.
You may also have to pay any vet charges.
Charges for returning your dog
| Days | Fee |
|---|---|
| 1 | £62.80 |
| 2 | £75.40 |
| 3 | £88.00 |
| 4 | £120.60 |
| 5 | £133.20 |
| 6 | £145.80 |
| 7 | £158.40 |
| 8 | £171.00 |
All charges are payable to our kennels when you collect your dog or it is returned to you. Payment plans are not available as the law states charges must be paid in full before the dog can be released from kennels.
If you find a lost dog in Derby you become legally responsibleOpens in new tab.
If you know the owner of the dog you must return it to them or you must report it as soon as possible using the online form or telephoning 0333 2006981. Not doing this is a criminal offence and you could be fined.
The dog warden is unable to respond to reports of a stray dog that is free-roaming and uncontained. If you think you can get the dog safely to a secure area such as a garden then please approach it cautiously, but do not put yourself or others at risk to do so.
If the dog is near or on a main road or a stray dog that appears aggressive and potentially 'out of control in a public place', then please call 101 to report it to the police - who will then liaise with the dog warden if appropriate.
When the warden collects a stray dog they will scan for a microchip or check the details on the collar tag and attempt to contact the owners so the dog can be returned home.
If the owners can’t be immediately contacted, the dog is taken into care where they have 24/7 access to a vet and are provided with food, water, exercise and other care.
If an owner can’t be found for the dog then they will be sent to a rehoming centre.
The ban on XL Bully dogs
Information about what XL Bully dog owners, vets and rehoming centres need to do to prepare for the banOpens in new tab can be found on the GOV.UK website.
Information about the exemption processOpens in new tab can also be found on the Government website.