Guidance

Stray and abandoned dogs: local authority responsibilities

What local authorities are required to do when dealing with stray or abandoned dogs.

• From: Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• Published: 22 September 2026

Applies to England and Wales

A ‘stray dog’ is any dog found in a public or private place without a responsible person there to look after it. This includes dogs that have been deliberately abandoned by their owner. An example of a dog being abandoned is if it is left outside a charity or tied to a lamppost.

Local authorities have a statutory duty to deal with stray dogs found in their area, irrespective of how the dog came to be stray. This includes where it has been lost, stolen or abandoned. 

Local authorities hold sole responsibility for dealing with stray dogs. Animal welfare organisations hold no legal responsibility for doing so.

Responding to reports 

When you receive a report of a stray dog, you must: 

1. Collect the dog as soon as you can if it is in a public place or on private land. Sections 149 to 151 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 do not give you a power of entry to private premises. If the dog is inside private premises, you will need the occupier’s permission to enter. 

2. Assess the dog’s condition when you collect it (injury, disease, health and aggressive behaviour, signs of abandonment or neglect). 

3. Check as soon as possible if the dog could be a banned breed.

4. Scan for a microchip and check any collar tag at the earliest safe opportunity.

5. Record all of the above.

Abandonment, neglect and irresponsible ownership 

On collection, you must look for signs that the dog may have been abandoned, neglected or repeatedly allowed to stray. 

These signs may point to wider issues with the dog’s care or ownership. In most cases, you should first consider what action your local authority can take through its stray dog, animal welfare or enforcement functions. 

This may include: 

• recording concerns about the dog’s condition or circumstances 
• checking whether the dog has strayed before 
• checking whether there is a history of complaints about the dog or its owner 
• giving advice to the owner where appropriate 
• considering further local authority enforcement action where needed, such as for poor welfare or deliberate abandonment 

Signs that may indicate abandonment, neglect or irresponsible ownership include: 

• where the dog was found, for example tied up, left in a public place, or found somewhere associated with help such as a rescue centre, veterinary practice or church 
• whether the dog was left with belongings, for example food, water, bedding, a toy or other familiar items 
• whether more than one dog was found, for example dogs found together in circumstances that suggest they may have been left by the same owner
• the dog’s physical condition, for example being underweight, injured, having a matted or overly long coat, long claws, fleas or ticks 
• the dog’s identification status, for example having no collar, tag or microchip, or having microchip details that are out of date 
• the dog’s history, for example repeated straying, previous complaints, or other records that suggest ongoing issues with its care or ownership 

The above list is not exhaustive. Use your judgement if something does not seem right.

When to escalate for enforcement  

You should only escalate the case if both:  

• the dog owner is identifiable 
• a veterinary professional has identified or certified neglect or suffering 

You should not automatically escalate a case. Some signs may be relevant to your assessment but may not require referral on their own. These include: 

• a matted coat 
• long claws 
• fleas or ticks 
• no collar 
• no tag 
• no microchip 
• out-of-date microchip details 

You should consider the overall circumstances of the case, including:  

• the dog’s condition  
• where and how it was found  
• any known history  
• if there is evidence of ongoing poor care or welfare risk 
• deliberate abandonment of the animal (for example, moving house and leaving your dog behind) 

Your enforcement body may be internal to your local authority or could be an external organisation, such as the police or RSPCA.

Banned dogs 

When you arrive on scene, assess whether the dog seems to be a banned type. You should have received training by an approved provider on banned dog identification.  

If you are not sure whether it is a banned type, you should ask your local police Dog Legislation Officer for advice. 

If you think the dog is a banned type, you must notify your local police Dog Legislation Officer as soon as possible. This applies whether or not the dog is on the Index of Exempted Dogs: 

• if the dog is on the Index, the fact that it is straying may mean it has breached the conditions of its exemption 
• if the dog is not on the Index, it may be an offence under section 1 of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 

The Dog Legislation Officer should advise you on the next steps.

Dog attacks and livestock worrying 

While responding to a report, you may discover that a dog has attacked a person or animal, or has worried livestock. If so, report it to your local police Dog Legislation Officer as soon as possible. 

Read guidance on control of dogs on the public road. 

Dead dogs 

If the dog that has been reported to you has died, you must make sure the right officers or contractors respond. This will usually be your cleansing team, an animal welfare officer, or a contractor acting on your behalf. Respond as soon as you can if it is in a public place or on private land. 

You must make every attempt to establish the identity of the dog and its owner. Give the owner the opportunity to collect their dog where appropriate.

If officers or contractors collect the dog, you must ensure they record any identification information and share it with the relevant local authority officer promptly.

Holding periods and kennelling 

All collected dogs must be held for 7 full days, beginning the day after collection. 

During this holding period, you must ensure the dog receives: 

• appropriate kennelling that is compliant with relevant legislation and guidance where required in law
• an appropriate and safe environment 
• access to appropriate food and fresh water 
• the ability to carry out normal behaviour (as far as possible) 
• enrichment appropriate to the dog’s needs 
• veterinary care as needed 

You must also try to identify and contact the owner promptly. Any letter, email or other contact should explain that the dog has been collected as a stray dog under the local authority’s stray dog functions. It should include:  

• where and when the dog was found  
• how the owner can reclaim it  
• any fees or reasonable expenses that must be paid  
• the date the 7 day holding period will end

Returning a dog to its owner 

When returning a dog to its owner, you must decide what charges apply before releasing the dog. 

You may charge the statutory fee of £25 and recover reasonable expenses incurred during the holding period. Your local policy should explain when charges are applied such as: 

• kennelling costs 
• officer time 
• transport costs 
• veterinary fees 

The policy should include whether charges differ for first and repeat occasions. 

If you apply charges, tell the owner what they need to pay before the dog is released. You should also consider whether a lawful repayment agreement is appropriate.

If the finder wants to keep the dog 

If someone who has found a dog wants to keep it, they must first either return it to its owner (if identified) or bring it to the local authority. 

The finder may then request to keep the dog. If they do, you must assess whether the finder is suitable to care for the dog. This will depend on the circumstances of the case and your local policy.  

You may want to consider whether: 

• the finder can keep a dog at their property, including under any tenancy or housing rules 
• the finder has experience of caring for dogs 
• there are other dogs or animals in the home 
• the finder can meet the dog’s needs including exercise, food and veterinary care 
• the finder understands that the dog’s history may be unknown 

You may also want to:

• explain that they must keep the dog for at least 28 days, and that failing to do so may be a criminal offence 
• make clear that keeping the dog during the 28 day period does not necessarily make them the dog’s legal owner 
• make clear that if the original owner is traced or comes forward, ownership may be disputed 

If ownership of the dog is disputed at any point, this is a civil matter and falls outside the local authority’s responsibilities.

Stolen or lost dogs 

The police are responsible for handling reports of stolen dogs. 

If an owner contacts you because they believe their dog is lost or stolen, you must record their details in the same place as your stray dog records. Record the same information you would need to register a dog on a microchip database, including: 

• the owner’s name, address, phone number and email address 
• a description of the dog, including its breed or type, colour, sex and any distinguishing features 
• the dog’s microchip number, collar or tag details (if known) 
• where and when the dog was last seen 
• whether the owner believes the dog has been stolen 

You should advise the owner to report the dog to the police if they believe it has been stolen. 

Sections 149 to 151 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 require local authorities to keep a register of stray dogs they have collected. You must make this register available for inspection by a member of the public by request and appointment. This is regardless of how your authority records and stores stray dog data.

Unclaimed dogs 

Once the 7 day holding period has ended, you may: 

• rehome the dog to a suitable individual, as long as it is not a banned type – you must assess the suitability of anyone wishing to take on the dog 
• transfer the dog to an approved rescue organisation 

You should only consider euthanasia in exceptional circumstances, such as where a veterinary professional recommends it on the grounds of suffering or dangerous behaviour. Only a vet should carry out euthanasia.

You must not dispose of any dog for the purpose of vivisection. Vivisection involves carrying out operations or experiments on living animals for scientific research.

Banned dogs 

You must not rehome a dog identified as a banned type. If the owner does not claim it within the 7 day period, you must notify the police and take advice. The police may seize the dog and consider law enforcement action.

Data recording and reporting 

You must enter the following information into the statutory register: 

• a detailed physical description of the dog 
• collar, tag and microchip information 
• the date, time and place of collection 
• details of any notices served 
• details of disposal, including sale, transfer or euthanasia 

The register must be made publicly available. You may charge a reasonable fee for copies. Defra may request this information, including the total number of stray dogs accepted and the number of dogs: 

• accepted outside normal hours 
• microchipped
• with accurate microchip records 
• returned to their owner 
• euthanised

What local authorities must have in place  

Appointing an officer 

Local authorities must appoint an officer responsible for carrying out their stray dog functions. 

Day-to-day responsibilities can be delegated to dog wardens, animal welfare officers or contractors. However, the appointed officer retains overall responsibility for making sure the authority’s stray dog functions are carried out humanely.

Training 

Local authorities must ensure that anyone involved in carrying out their stray dog duty is adequately trained. This includes officers, contractors and anyone acting on the authority’s behalf. Training must be provided by a reputable, accredited trainer and cover: 

• relevant legislation, including animal welfare and control law 
• humane handling techniques 
• current, science-backed understanding of dog behaviour and learning 

Local authorities should ensure that officers and contractors keep their training up to date. Where services are contracted out, contracts should require the contractor to ensure relevant staff complete appropriate continuing professional development (CPD).

Equipment 

Local authorities must ensure that anyone involved in carrying out their stray dog duty has access to working microchip scanners compatible with as wide a range of microchip formats as possible. 

Out of hours provision 

Local authorities are not required to offer night-time call-outs. However, they must still provide an acceptance point where members of the public can hand in stray dogs at all times. 

An acceptance point may be a fixed location. Where the authority operates a call-out service, it may be the place where the finder has the dog. 

Publicising contact details 

Local authorities must publicise contact details so that members of the public can report stray dogs and know where to take them. As a minimum, this must include: 

• the phone number of the relevant officer or officers 
• the location or locations where stray dogs can be handed in 
• the hours of operation at those locations 
• the phone number of reception staff at those locations 

Authorities should publicise these details as widely as possible, including:  

• on their website  
• on social media  
• at their offices  
• at local police stations

Record keeping 

Local authorities must be able to provide the following data to the government on request: 

• total number of stray dogs accepted, including those accepted outside normal hours 
• total number of days that dogs accepted outside normal hours were kept in kennels 
• number of dogs found to be microchipped with up-to-date records on the database 
• number of dogs returned to their owner 
• number of dogs that were euthanised

Arrangements with partner organisations 

Local authorities should have arrangements in place with a veterinary practice to support their stray dog functions. This helps make sure dogs can receive veterinary care when needed. 

You should consider how veterinary costs will be managed as part of these arrangements. Costs may vary between providers and may change over time. 

You should also consider putting written protocols or formal agreements in place for working in partnership with: 

• animal welfare charities 
• kennels 
• neighbouring local authorities 

You may also want to set up a dog forum with relevant partners. This can help you:

• discuss issues as they arise
• coordinate activities and resources that encourage responsible dog ownership in the community

Legal frameworks 

The main legislation governing local authority responsibilities is the: 

• Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 (Section 68), which confirms that local authorities have sole responsibility for stray dogs 
• Environmental Protection Act 1990, which covers the statutory responsibility for seizure, detention and disposal of stray dogs 
• Environmental Protection (Stray Dogs) Regulations 1992, which cover record-keeping requirements, definitions of collected dogs and procedural standards 
• Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which applies when a dog poses a risk and when police involvement may be required 
• Animal Welfare Act 2006, which covers welfare obligations and offences including abandonment 
• Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, which cover licensing requirements for animal activities in England, including dog boarding 
• Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021, which cover licensing requirements for animal activities in Wales 
• Defra Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs, which gives practical guidance on meeting dogs’ welfare needs in England 
• Welsh Government Code of Practice for the Welfare of Dogs, which gives practical guidance on meeting dogs’ welfare needs in Wales 
• Dogs (Protection of livestock) (Amendment) Act 2025, which strengthens the law on livestock worrying by dogs and enhances enforcement powers

Published 22 September 2026