Changes to stray dog service

With National Pet month on 5 April to 5 May, Stratford-on-Avon District Council would like to remind residents that from April Warwickshire Police will no longer accept stray dogs from members of the public as this duty has now been transferred to the District Council.  

The new service will operate as follows:
During normal office hours between Monday and Friday from 9am to 4pm stray dogs will be dealt with by the District Council's Dog Warden on the same day by phoning 01789 260835.  

At any other time the District Council will operate a message handling service by phoning 01789 414066 and the Dog Warden will deal with the issue on the next working day.  

How do I report a stray dog?
Lost and stray dogs can be a danger and cause concern for those using streets and highways, but there is help to deal with problems.  If you find a stray dog, contact Stratford-on-Avon District Council on 01789 260835 and the Dog Warden will collect the dog.   

To report a stray dog, you may be asked to provide the following information:

• your contact details, name, address, telephone, email;
• a description of the dog, for example, its type, colour, size, age;
• the time and date when you found the dog;
• where you found the dog and
• where the dog should be collected from.  

If you have a complaint regarding dogs straying on school premises or interfering with the flow of traffic, the District Council will deal with this urgently.  Please remember that it is a criminal offence not to report a stray dog.  

The District Council's Dog Warden service aims to deal with problems caused by the four main symptoms of irresponsible dog ownership noisy dogs, aggressive dogs, dog fouling and straying dogs.  If a dog is caught straying, dog wardens try to trace the owners and notify them as to where their dog may be collected. Any stray dogs are kept safely for up to seven days.  

National Pet Month: Promotes the benefits of pet ownership, while encouraging people to raise funds for animal welfare groups. The theme is Great British Pets. A special Wet Nose Day takes place on April 23. Visit www.nationalpetmonth.org.uk. for further details.