Stray and lost dogs
The Law
Strays
Lost Dogs
The Law
The Council has a legal duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 section 149 to collect stray dogs and take them to kennels. This is the only legal duty the Dog Wardens have to provide.
It is an offence under The Control of Dogs Order 1992 for a dog to be in a public place without a collar and tag bearing the name and address of its owners.
The Council has a legal duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 section 59 to investigate complaints of noise this includes complaints of dog barking and whining.
It is an offence under the Dog Fouling of Land Act 1996 for a dog walker not to remove their dogs' faeces immediately from the land to which the public has access.
There are also several by-laws within Taunton Deane requiring dog on leads and dog ban areas. These will be clearly signed and details of all the by-laws are available from the Dog Warden on request.
The Dog Fouling of Land Act 1996 and all existing by-laws have been superseded by Part 6 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. However any designated areas under the legislation will remain effective until the Council introduces new dog control orders. These orders are under review by the Council.
Tel: 01823 356550
Email: dog.wardens@tauntondeane.gov.uk
Strays
The Council has a legal duty to collect strays and take them to kennels.
A stray is a dog which is roaming freely and not under the control of any person. To be a stray, the dog must also be on the highway or on land to which the public has access or where the landowner has not given permission to access.
If you find a dog which you believe to be a stray, firstly make sure the dog really is a stray and that an owner is not nearby.
If you are sure the dog is a stray and the dog has an identity tag, try to contact the owners and ask them to collect it. If there is no tag or you can't contact the owners then call the Dog Warden Service.
On the first occasion the Dog Warden collects a stray dog we will try to return the dog to its owner, if the address or contact details are known, and they will be given a verbal warning.
On subsequent occasions, or when the address or contact details are not known and they cannot be contacted immediately the dog will be taken to kennels. Dogs seized by the Dog Warden will be taken to St Giles Kennels, Wrantage.
To get their dog back owners must pay a fine of £25 plus costs and daily kennelling fees. The kennelling charges can be found on the Fees and Charges page. and owners may also be responsible for paying any veterinary fees if the dog has had to receive urgent treatment for sickness or injury.
The dog will remain in the kennels for seven clear days from where the owner can reclaim it between 8.30 am and 5.30 pm seven days a week.
After seven days if the dog is not claimed, the dog becomes the property of the Council and will normally be re-homed.
On Mondays and Wednesdays between 9am to 5pm and Fridays between 8.30am to 4.30pm our Dog Warden will attend and collect stray dogs from you. If the dog is roaming free the Dog Warden will make every effort to capture it and remove it to the kennels.
You can contact the Dog Warden between these times by telephoning 01823 356550.
At all other times the service is limited to Confined Strays only. This means dogs which have been caught and are being held by a member of public. The Dog Warden will arrange collection of a confined stray from you between 9am and 5pm every Saturday, Sunday and Public Holidays.
To contact the Dog Warden outside of normal office hours you can telephone 01823 356356.
If you live in Taunton Deane and find a stray in another Council's area, for example while you are on a day trip, please do not bring it back to Taunton but report it to the Council for the area.
Lost Dogs
If you have lost your dog you should contact the Dog Warden. They keep a register of all lost dogs and can contact you if it is reported straying or has been found.
You may wish to consider having your dog micro chipped as this would improve the chances of your dog being returned to you if collected by the Dog Warden.
Micro chipping involves implanting a small chip under the dog's skin, which is painless, and carries the owners name, address and telephone number. A scanner can then be used to read the chip and obtain the details, rather like a bar code.
Micro chipping however should not be used instead of a collar and tag as this is a legal requirement under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, but as an added safeguard.
If you wish to report your lost dog you can call Customer Services.
Tel: 01823 356356
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