anyone missing a border terrier in Sheffield?

[ditavonteesed]

lady in park this morning found one on friday, no collar and not chipped although obviously very well looked after, she has taken him in and will keep hold of him until she can find his owner. he is about 7yo slightly grey around the nose, red grizzle and very sweet, someone must be really missing him.
I dont have her number but will see her again tommorow.
Long shot I know but worth a try.

[Vallhala]

Ask her to post the information on the found section of the DOGLOST website, or if she has no internet access to permit you to do so. You'll need a description of the dog, sex, approx age, where found, what time he was found, colour, breed and a contact number for the lady.

Also tell her that by law she must contact the dog warden BUT SHE DOES NOT HAVE TO HAND THE DOG OVER TO THEM PROVIDING they have no reason to think that the dog will be harmed or neglected in her care and that:

1. She is willing to keep the dog for at least 28 days
   

1. She will not hand/sell the dog on to anyone else
   

1. She will give the dog back to the owner and make an active attempt to find that owner.
   

Given she knows the dog isn't chipped, she may of course already have contacted the dog warden.

To cover her own ass and to optimise the chances of pooch being claimed she would be wise to inform the Police too. The Police no longer have any involvement in strays (except dogs coming under the Dangerous Dogs Act) but they can register the dog as "found property" and SHOULD record the loss if an owner reports it although they can be lazy in this respect.

Then suggest she contacts local vets and asks them to put a poster up. Putting found posters up depends on your area. Bluntly, I would not advise putting up "Terrier found" posters if you were near a travellers camp or dodgy area, to be honest (flame me if you like, I'm a rescuer and speak with bitter experience of dodgy types claiming dogs that are not theirs). "Found, little brown dog" or whatever, would suffice here.

Meantime, I'll pass the info on to Sheffield animal rescue/rights contacts - fingers crossed.

[ditavonteesed]

thanks vall, will print all that off to give her tommorow.

[Vallhala]

You're welcome - oh and warn her that the Dog Warden may not KNOW that in law she is not obliged to hand the dog over to him (there are some real asses out there!!), in which case, you might like to print this out for her too:

ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION ACT 1990

It is illegal to hold a found dog without reporting it first.

The Environmental Protection (Stray Dogs) Regulations 1992 describes the procedure to be followed where a stray dog is found by a member of the public who wishes to keep it. Where a dog has been brought in to the Local Authority, the finder may (under section 150(2) of the EPA 1990, request to keep the dog. Details as specified in law will be recorded.

If allowed to retain the dog, the finder must keep the dog for at least 28 days, however, the original owner can still claim the return of the dog, after this time ? The Act does not deal with the civil law on ownership, e.g. the finder of a dog who follows all the procedures does not automatically become the dog?s legal owner after a period of 28 days, a dispute over ownership could follow. This is explained in the DOE Circular 6/1992: Control of Stray Dogs.

The procedure that the Dog Warden must follow is this (Environmental Protection (Stray Dogs) Regulations 1992).

Procedure where finder desires to keep a stray dog

4.?(1) This regulation prescribes the procedure to be followed by the officer for the purposes of section 150(2)(a) before a finder desiring to keep a stray dog is allowed to remove it.

(2) The officer shall make a clear and accurate record of the following matters in a permanent form suitable for reference purposes?

(a)a brief description of the dog, including its breed (if known), and any distinctive physical characteristics or markings, tattoos or scars;

(b)any information which is recorded on a tag or collar worn by, or which is otherwise carried by, the dog;

(c)the date, time and place of the finding of the dog; and

(d)the name and address of the finder.

(3) Where the owner of the dog can be identified and can readily be contacted, the officer shall make reasonable attempts to contact him, and, if appropriate in the circumstances of the case, afford him forthwith a reasonable opportunity to collect the dog.

(4) The officer shall make all such enquiries as he considers appropriate in the circumstances of the case to ascertain that the finder is a fit and proper person to keep the dog, and that he is able to feed and care for it.

(5) The officer shall inform the finder both verbally and in writing that the finder is obliged under section 150(3) to keep the dog (if unclaimed by the owner) for not less than one month, and that failure to comply with that obligation is a criminal offence.