Your Can I keep a stray dog UK? A Step-by-Step Guide

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If your dog has gone missing, here are some things you can do:

  • Call the microchip database they are registered with and report them as lost or stolen. Make sure your contact details are always up to date.
  • Contact your local authority dog warden, via your local council – they are legally responsible for stray dogs and may well have picked up your pet. They will hold on to stray dogs for seven days but, after this time, dogs will be rehomed or put to sleep if no home can be found for them.
  • Contact neighbouring local authorities too as dogs may move across local council borders
  • Call local kennels/charities – it’s possible someone has found the dog and taken them to a local rehoming centre or kennels
  • Contact local vet surgeries or animal hospitals – if your dog has been injured, they may have been taken there for treatment
  • Check online lost and found websites and notice boards in your local area. Register your dog on DogLost, a free national database which is run by volunteers who will help you to search for your dog.
  • If you think your dog has been stolen, call the police
  • Put up notices in your local area with an up to date photo of your dog
  • Visit places where other dog walkers go and ask them to keep an eye out for your dog

    • Be vigilant. We have been told about scammers calling to say theyve found your pet, asking for a processing fee or costs towards vet bills and then pocketing the money.

    What to do if you’ve lost your dog

    By law, your dog should always wear a collar and tag with your name and address on when out in public. It will also be compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped by 2016.

    If your dog is wearing a tag and is microchipped, this will hugely increase your chances of being reunited with them if they go missing.

    The local authority will then keep the dog in the local holding kennel

    Again, this is a necessary step. While the stray dog you have found may not be wearing an identification collar, they should be fitted with a microchip that has their owner’s details. The local kennel will be able to use this information to try and find the owner.

    10 Important Guide About Rescuing A Stray Dog/Amazing Dogs

    The definition of a stray dog is a dog unsupervised in a public place regardless of whether it is wearing a collar and tag.

    Every year in the UK, thousands of dogs are lost, stray or are stolen. Many strays are picked up and will end up in a local dog pound where they will stay for a period of time before being re-homed or PTS.

    Finders have an obligation to follow a legal process in either returning the dog or reporting it as found to their local council Dog warden. Dog Wardens must follow a statutory process in dealing with stray dogs reported to them or seen by them.

    A dogs legal owner has a limited amount of time to re-claim their dog from a pound before they loose their right of ownership. It is important to act quickly if your dog disappears and inform the appropriate authorities.