Stray dogs
Allowing your dog to stray can cause road accidents, attacks on other animals or people, damage to property, indiscriminate fouling, and can even lead to the dog being injured or killed.
Any dog that is unattended in a public place may be seized by a council Animal Welfare Inspector, and, unless badly injured, taken to the council kennels.
Reporting a stray dog
To report a stray dog Monday-Friday 9am-5pm (except Bank Holidays), call the Animal Welfare service on 01524 582757.
Our Animal Welfare Inspectors respond to reports of stray dogs during office hours.
Outside office hours, our contractor can collect strays, but only dogs which have been caught and restrained. This service is available during the following hours:
- Weekdays from 5pm to 8pm
- Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays between 9am and 8pm
- No service is offered on Christmas Day or Boxing Day
To report a stray dog outside office hours, call central control on 01524 67099. Please note that calls are recorded for monitoring and training purposes.
Enquiring about a lost dog
Call the Animal Welfare service on 01524 582757 Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm. Outside these times call central control on 01524 67099.
If you have lost your dog please also check the dog warden Facebook page as we post brief details of all dogs collected by our inspectors.
Unfortunately we cannot help with stray cats or other animals.
Claiming a stray dog from council kennels
If you believe your dog has been taken to the kennels call us on 07506 744 930.
Any owner claiming their dog will be charged a fee for administration and boarding of the dog in the kennel. This will vary according to the length of time the dog is in the kennels. Please note the fee owed must be paid in full before your dog can be returned:
- Prescribed fee zero rate = £29.57 (no VAT)
- Detention Fee = £16.20 (£13.50 + VAT £2.70)
- Kennelling Fee = £19.26 (£16.05 per day + VAT £3.21)
| Days in kennels | Charge |
|---|---|
| Day 1 | £65.03 |
| Day 2 | £84.29 |
| Day 3 | £103.55 |
| Day 4 | £122.81 |
| Day 5 | £142.07 |
| Day 6 | £161.33 |
| Day 7 | £180.59 |
- Kennel contact phone number is 07506 744930
- Fee for claiming strays from the Animal Welfare Inspector is £48.90
If your dog is impounded as a stray and you do not claim it back you will still be charged all relevant kennelling fees. After seven days your dog will be rehomed.
Identify your dog!
Every dog when in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it.
Failure to comply may result in prosecution. The maximum fine is currently £5,000.
Every dog must also be microchipped. The maximum fine for failure to microchip or failure to keep the registered details up to date is £500.
Stray dog enforcement
The owners of a dog straying may be issued with a fixed penalty notice for £80 (£50 if paid within seven days) or may be prosecuted, under The Dogs on Leads (Lancaster City Council) Order 2012. The maximum fine is currently £1,000.
Last updated: 05 April 2024