On 6th February 2016 changes were made to the law to require all dogs to have a microchip. Fortunately, this means that, should they become lost, the chances of re-uniting them with their owner is much higher. Under the Government’s Control of Dogs Order 1992 all dogs in a public place are also legally required to wear a collar and tag giving the name and address of the owner even if they are microchipped, and it an offence for them to be without this identification. We think all of this is a great idea as it means reuniting lost dogs with their owners sooner.
If you find a stray dog, which is not injured, you should contact the local North-West Leicestershire Dog Warden on 01530 454545 as soon as possible and they can arrange for collection. Currently this service is available either through the Dog Warden directly or via their contractor between Monday and Friday, from 8.30am right up until 9pm each evening. At weekends stray dogs can be taken to College Garth Kennels at Hathern, Leicestershire, during their opening hours and, if you need to use this service, you can contact them on 01509 842327. Working with College Garth Kennels allows North West Leicestershire to provide a cost-effective and much needed service, backed by the resources and experience of one of the area’s best known kennels.
If the stray dog is injured and needs urgent, emergency treatment you should take them to the nearest veterinary practice. Here at Cockburn Vets we can arrange for treatment under instruction from the Dog Warden. If the dog requires less urgent medical care, please contact the Dog Warden, on 01530 454545, and they will assess the situation and make any necessary arrangements for treatment.
Following the legal changes in 2016, if the stray dog is not injured, the Dog Warden has informed us that, whilst we can still check the animal for a microchip, we should no longer take them from the finder to house at the practice while awaiting collection. Instead we have been told we should ask the finder to follow the instructions on the North-West Leicestershire District Council website here.
