The Dog Control Service

Dealing with Stray Dog Complaints. The Council’s Dog Warden Service is dedicated to providing dog related services in the Fenland District and this includes helping you if you lose your dog.

If we get a complaint that a dog is straying and being a danger in traffic or a nuisance to people, our Dog Warden will attempt to catch the dog and take it to our contract kennels.

The Council’s Stray Dogs Collection Service includes:

• The collection of stray dogs, when contained at the complainants home
• Reuniting stray dogs with their owners, whenever possible
• Taking stray dogs to our contract kennels
• Re-homing stray dogs after 7 days (if they remain unclaimed)

The first time a dog is caught straying, the Dog Warden will try to trace the owners and return it. If the owner cannot be found the dog will be taken to kennels as a stray.

Please note that our re-homing of dog’s service has been contracted out to private kennels, but we have made sure that no dog is destroyed but given to a loving family. If you need to contact the Council regarding a stray dog or maybe you are looking for your own dog submit the online form or call us on 01354 654321 or e-mail us on environmentalservicerequests@fenland.gov.uk

Other Dog Warden Services that we offer are dealing with:

• Noisy dogs
• Aggressive dogs
• Dog fouling
• Straying dogs

Dog Related complaints and what action we will take on your behalf:

Dog related complaints; such as noise from dog barking will be responded to as quickly as possible, but always within 3 working days.

Our Animal Welfare Officer deals with barking complaints and they will act with confidentiality and not disclose who made the complaint. At the time of your complaint you will also be asked to keep a log sheet for the Council for 14 days. Please also see the Councils information sheet on our Nuisance Complaint Investigation Procedures.

The Animal Welfare Officer cannot deal with any animal cruelty complaints. These will be passed quickly to the appropriate agency (e.g. the Police or RSPCA). However our Animal Welfare Officer will always ensure that the Council's legal duties are met, as far as Animal Welfare is concerned.

The reduction of Dog Fouling in the District

As time allows our Dog Warden will regularly patrol dog fouling hot spots putting up anti-dog fouling signs and serving Fixed Penalty Notice upon any offender found not clearing up after their dog.

Fines of £50 are given to offenders and if they do not pay they will be taken to Court and can face a fine of up to £1,000.

PLEASE CLEAN UP AFTER YOUR DOG!! THEY CAN’T DO IT THEMSELVES!!

If you have any questions regarding the above information or wish to forward a complaint to the Council’s Dog Warden please submit the online form or contact us on 01354 654321 or e-mail us at: environmentalservicerequests@fenland.gov.uk

School Talks

A large part of our Dog Warden Service is educational. Primary Schools in the Fenland District can arrange for the Dog Warden and the Animal Welfare Officer to visit and talk to pupils about all aspects of responsible dog ownership.

If you are a teacher at a school in the Fenland District, and you are interested in us talking to children in your school please submit the online form or telephone us on 01354 654321 or you can either e-mail us at: environmentalservicerequests@fenland.gov.uk

 

Please Tag your dog! (Control of Dogs Order 1992)

Your dog must wear a tag (featuring your name and address and phone number if you have one) by law when out in a public place.

The first time we catch your dog straying we will return it to you, free of charge. But we can only do this if it is wearing a tag, or is microchipped.

If we catch a stray dog, and we can't trace the owner, we will keep it in boarding kennels at your expense. If you do not collect your dog within seven days, you will lose the right to reclaim it, and we will try to re-home it. When you reclaim your dog you will have to pay £25.00 statutory fee plus an admin charge and all boarding and vet fees incurred.

A summary of the Council’s Dog Warden Services:

• We will respond to all dog related complaints as soon as possible but always within 3 working days.
• We will respond urgently to sightings of stray dogs on school premises or those interfering with traffic.
• We will collect stray dogs and keeps them safely for a maximum of seven days for collection by the owner (subject to the payment of all fees). We will then attempt to re-home stray dogs, via our contract kennels, we work with local re-homing charities and have an excellent record of successful home placements for strays.
• We will promote responsible dog ownership through talks to Primary schools and other groups in the Community.
• We will enforce dog-related laws, including the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996, whenever we think it is necessary to do so.
• We do support microchipping of dogs by our contract kennels in order to promote responsible ownership.
• We DO want you to enjoy your dog and we are committed to assisting you on all dog related matters.

If you have any questions regarding the above information or wish to forward a complaint to the Council’s Dog Warden please submit the online form or contact us on: 01354 654321 or e-mail us at: environmentalservicerequests@fenland.gov.uk