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Original poster

Quick poll. Who would you contact if you found a stray, untagged dog?

38 replies

Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:21

This arises out of a comment on another thread. If you found a stray, untagged dog, who would you call/where would you take it;

A. Mon-Fri between 9am and 5pm

B. Evenings and weekends?

OP posts:
Molesworth · 12/01/2010 23:28

If you're in London, it's easy: ring Battersea Dogs Home or contact them via their website.

I did find an untagged dog a few weeks ago, and, with the help of BDH, she was reunited with her owners within an hour.

rasputin · 12/01/2010 23:28

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster
Vallhala · 12/01/2010 23:35

And if not in London, Molesworth?

I'll tell you why I'm interested in your responses later, btw.

OP posts:
kid · 12/01/2010 23:35

RSPCA

How lovely to hear the dog you found was reunited, so quickly too.

If I ever see any missing pet posters, I always look for the pets when out and about. I hope others would do the same if my dog went missing.

HaveToWearHeels · 12/01/2010 23:36

The dog warden, mon to friday not sure about weekends, but I have a dog so providing they got along I would keep until dog warden could collect. Of course if it were tagged I would call the owner. Other option is to get scanned at the vet for microchip.

Molesworth · 12/01/2010 23:37

I realise it's not so obvious/straightforward outside London. I suppose I'd try the local council first and/or the nearest dog rescue centre?

sanfairyann · 12/01/2010 23:42

we called the dog warden out - weekend - we only let them take it after they said they take them to the animal shelter and don't put them down

weekday - probably the same - not sure

WynkenBlynkenandNod · 13/01/2010 04:24

The vet to see if chipped during the week and take it from there. No idea about weekends and evenings but have vague feeling you are supposed to report it to police so I guess I would do that and leave a message with dog warden, keep the dog with me if it was OK with my dog. If not my neighbour would help I think.

I'd also post up on that website for lost dogs whatever it is.

sellthesizzle · 13/01/2010 05:26

RSPCA or there is a Dog Trust near us so I might take it there if it was ok to handle.

millarkie · 13/01/2010 07:17

Firstly I'd ring round the neighbours to see if anyone knew dogs owner. If not I would ring dog warden on weekdays and police station at weekends. Ourpolice station can check for microchips and have a kennel for dogs over the weekend. They pass them to the dog warden on Monday.

Romanarama · 13/01/2010 07:30

The vet to see if chipped. Our vet is open 24/7 and is just by my house, so the most convenient. The nearest dog refuge is quite far. The police can also check for a microchip and deal with the dog. I'm in Belgium and I think the letter of the law is that you have to take a stray to a vet/police/refuge (or you can ignore it, obviously!). You're not allowed to keep it - obviously it might belong to someone.

minimu · 13/01/2010 08:30

Dog warden mon-Fri
Doglost web site both occasions
Keep the dog with me over the weekend and then dog warden on Monday
Local Vets both times
Post posters near where I found the dog.

Bella32 · 13/01/2010 09:43

I'd keep it

No, seriously...

I'd keep it

Take to vet asap to be scanned for microchip.

Notify dog warden. Keep until dog warden could collect (but absolutely no pressure on him or her to do so unless it was rabid).

Inform all local vets.

Posters.

Keep it.

MrsL123 · 13/01/2010 10:28

We walk our dogs at the beach and in the adjacent field, and we've found lots of untagged dogs in the past (grrrr )

We always do the following:

  1. Give it a cuddle and a treat!
  2. Put it on the lead
  3. Wander around aimlessly for half an hour incase an owner turns up (helps if you see which direction the dog came from!). If we've just started our walk, we'll keep the dog with us for the full hour.
  4. If no owner turns up, we'll the police to report it (here in Scotland they will call the warden for you, but at the very least they can give you more advice - our local station also have a chip scanner so most of our lost dogs have been returned home that way).
  5. Take it to the police station for them to contact the owner or pass the dog over to the warden.

We've also found dogs with no collars, which I always presume means they've escaped from their house or garden. This is a tricky one, as sometimes the owner doesn't even know and therefore isn't out looking for it! One time we put our dog in the car, put the stray on the lead and said 'lets go home' - it knew the way just fine! It only lived two minutes away from the beach!

I'm glad to report my dogs are too chicken to ever run away from us and are fully tagged if they do

ShinyAndNew · 13/01/2010 11:20

What Bella said. But I'd keep it untill the owner was found. I wouldn't let the dog warden take it.

I was disgusted by the state of the local pound tbh. There is no way in hell I'd ever send a dog there. It would be kept here. If it did turn out to be unwanted and Dh wouldn't let us keep it, I'd give it to my dad or get in touch with you Vallhala, to find it a nice rescue place.

EldonAve · 13/01/2010 11:23

Call dog warden

LittleB · 13/01/2010 12:29

I used to be a dog warden, 10yrs ago. We had a call out service evenings and weekends so would come and collect a stray dog, so just ring the local council - but not all councils do that so police is next best thing. You can't choose to just keep the dog. I did have one family who wanted to keep the dog if we didn't find its owners, they had to register it with us and I visited them to discuss care, check the dog and check they were suitable to look after it. If it wasn't claimed within 7 days they could keep it - but it was claimed. But here the dogs go to a good rescue centre where they are rehomed if they aren't claimed. It was just aswell I was renting at the time and was only allowed one dog as otherwise I'd have probably taken home several more!
The council will charge the owners a fee and daily charge for care of the dog. Owners may also get charged for not having a tag on their dog - I've seen your other thread - but this was usually a fixed penalty fee (was £75) then, it was only repeat offenders who would be taken to court. We also used to carry a scanner in the van to check the dog for a chip, and would then pop by if the house was near and return it with a warning, would ring if further afield. same with a tag - except for repeat offenders whos dogs would go straight to the kennels. A surprising number of dogs are regularly sent out on the streets. I used to hope, in those cases, that the owners wouldn't bother to pay the fine so the dogs could find a new home where they'd be properly looked after!
Glad I don't do it anymore, was heartbreaking dealing with some of the poor dogs, and some of the owners used to make me so cross - I dealt with barking complaints too - so visited some very neglected dogs(not that all dogs who bark are neglected - but in my experience the majority of them were.) Right must have some lunch and then take my dog out for a stroll!

Pineapplechunks · 13/01/2010 12:30

RSPCA.

Piffle · 13/01/2010 12:33

firstly to my local vet to check for microchip
he would then tell me who was on duty for stray dogs

ShinyAndNew · 13/01/2010 12:36

Our dog warden probably would just let me keep the dog. They just sent me home with my dog. No home checks, no questionnaires. Nothing.

My dog barks, but he is not neglected. He just wants to sleep on the landing, but I won't let him. the dds have no bedroom door, so there is nothing to stop him taking up camp in their room.

Bella32 · 13/01/2010 12:51
somewhathorrified · 13/01/2010 13:00

rspca, have 3 cats so wouldn't want to get dog smell in house and car.

TrillianAstra · 13/01/2010 13:02

Vet to check for microchip, then wherever the vet said you're supposed to take dogs.

girlsyearapart · 13/01/2010 13:09

Happened to me a while ago..

Did the aimless wandering/asking if anyone had seen anyone calling for a dog.

Tied a piece of string to its collar and took it to the local vet (no microchip)

left my phone number and they called later to say it had been reunited with owner.

didn't keep it cos it stank of fox poo

GrimmaTheNome · 13/01/2010 13:10

It would depend on where I found it and what it was like and whether I had my own dog or child with me.

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