Dog Warden Services

Dog Warden Services

Stratford-on-Avon District Council employs a full-time Animal Welfare Officer to deliver a professional service to promote responsible dog ownership and enforce existing legislation.

We currently deliver the following services:

1. Response to all complaints as soon as possible but always within 5 working days.
2. Urgent response to sightings of stray dogs on school premises or that are interfering with traffic.
3. Collection and return of your stray dog if it is possible, otherwise collect all strays and keep them safely for a maximum of seven days for collection by the owner (subject to the payment of a fee, which is currently £50, plus kennelling costs). If the dog is unclaimed after seven days every effort is taken to re-home it, but this is not always possible and some dogs are destroyed.
4. Promoting of responsible dog ownership through talks to primary schools and other groups.
5. Enforcement of dog-related by-laws and the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996. This may result in the issuing of Fixed Penalty Notices.

The Dog Warden will act in the strictest confidentiality and keep you informed about what they are doing.

Some complaints cannot be dealt with by the Dog Warden. These will be passed quickly to the appropriate agency (e.g. the RSPCA).

The Dog Warden will ensure the Council's legal duties are met, so far as dogs are concerned. They will also regularly patrol areas covered by dog related by-laws and put up anti-dog fouling signs where needed.

Stray dogs can be a danger for many reasons, not least of which being that they could cause a serious road accident or bite a child. Our Dog Warden is able to respond to reports of stray dogs between Monday and Friday, and deal with them accordingly, telephone 01789 260839 (office hours). Outside these hours please contact 01789 414066 and give details of the problem.

Your dog must wear a tag, inscribed with the owner's address, by law when it is 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. There are circusmtances where it is not possible to check for a microchip, but we will endeavour to do this whenever we can. If the owner is not known then the dog will be taken to our holding kennels where it will be kept for a period of seven days. If in the meantime the owner of the dog wishes to reclaim their dog they are obliged to pay a charge to the Council and kennelling fees to the Kennels. If the dog is unclaimed after seven days, then every attempt is made to re-home it, but this is not always possible and some dogs are destroyed.

We all share an interest in public health since these matters affect many of us. We consequently aim to respond effectively to all enquiries, requests for advice or investigations within 5 working days of receipt.

Fouling Legislation

The Dog (Fouling of Land) Act 1996

The Dog (Fouling of Land) Act came into force on 1st May 1997. This Act means that it is illegal to fail to clear up after your dog if it fouls any land which is open to the air and to which the public have access. The penalty for contravening the Act is an 'on the spot' fine or prosecution in the magistrates' court.