Stray Dogs / Dog Warden Service

The term “stray” refers to any dog which is not accompanied by an owner or other person with responsibility for that dog in a public place.
This applies regardless of whether the dog carries identification or wears a collar.
The first time a dog is caught straying, the dog warden will try to trace the owners and return it.
Where it is not possible to find the owner or in cases of persistent roaming the dog will be taken to the Kennels used by the Council where it will be kept safely for up to eight days.

Any complaints about a stray dog will be responded to as quickly as possible. The collection service will generally be asked to deal with the complaint within one hour of the complaint being receivedproviding the dog can be retained by the finder pending collection

The Dog Warden will act in the strictest confidentiality and keep you informed about what they are doing.

If the dog is wearing a collar and tag giving details of the owner's name and address, if possible, you should return the dog otherwise you can contact the Council on 01543 462621 (during normal office hours) or by email at environmentalhealth@cannockchasedc.gov.uk to arrange collection by the dog warden. The more details you can provide when reporting will help us to successfully return the dog to its owner.

The dog warden will arrange to collect the stray dog at a time that is convenient to you.

A limited service is available outside normal office hours in an evening and at weekends. Stray dogs can be reported to the Out of Hours Control Centre on 01543 574480. 
Outside of normal office hours the dog warden will contact you to arrange a convenient time for collection up to 7pm weekday evenings and between 1pm and 3pm on weekends and Bank Holidays 
Where possible we ask you to keep the dog secure until it can be collected.

Stray dogs can only be collected from an identifiable premises or place, help us by tethering the dog or securing in a garden.

Alternatively you may take a stray dog directly to the reception kennels if you decide not to wait for the dog warden to collect the dog.
Our reception kennels are situated at Swanpit Kennels, Swanpit Farm, Gnosall, ST20 0EE opening hours 8.30am - 8.00pm Monday to Friday and 9.00am -12.00noon on Saturday and Sunday.

If you wish to keep a stray dog you are legally required to notify Environmental Health. You will be asked to sign a form agreeing to keep the dog for a minimum of one month, unless claimed by the original owner.  If, within this time you decide are you no longer able to keep the dog it must be handed over to the dog warden. You must not give the dog to family or friends because in the case of a dog being retained by the finder, the dog legally remains 'found property' and the original owner can reclaim it at any time. Therefore, the dog never truly becomes the property of the finder. 

You should contact the Council on 01543-462621 or by email at environmentalhealth@cannockchasedc.gov.uk as soon as possible to report that your dog is missing. You will need to give as many details as possible such as:

•    Where and when the dog was last seen?
•    What colour, size, breed and sex is it? 
•    Is it tagged or micro chipped?
•    Your name address and contact details
Dogs have been known to stray a considerable distance from home so we advise that you make enquiries at neighbouring councils.
Stafford                      Tel : 01785 619402 
South Stafford            Tel : 01902 696000
Lichfield                     Tel : 01543 308725
Walsall                        Tel : 01922 653030
Wolverhampton           Tel : 01902 551155
If your dog has been seized by the Council's dog warden it will have been taken to:-
Swanpit Boarding Kennels 
Newport Road 
Gnosall 
Staffordshire 
ST20 0EE
Tel: 01785 822221

The Police are responsible for taking action where dogs are dangerously out of control and for the keeping of illegal breeds of dog.
A dog is dangerously out of control if “a dog injures a person or behaves in a way that makes a person worried that it might injure them”.
Report directly to Staffordshire Police (dangerous and banned dogs) telephone 101.

This is an Order made by a Council under Section 55 of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 to control activities of dogs . Cannock Chasee District Council has made two Orders which are currently in force:- 
1)    The Fouling of Land by Dogs (Cannock Chase) Order 2009
The effect of the Order is to make it an offence for a person, who is in charge of a dog when it fouls on relevant land, to fail to remove the faeces from the land forthwith, unless that person has a reasonable excuse for failing to do so, or if the owner, occupier or other person having control of the land, has consented to that person failing to do so.
The Order does not apply to a person registered as blind under section 29 of the National Assistance Act 1948, or in respect of a dog provided by a prescribed charity and upon which a person relies for assistance due to a disability which affects his mobility, manual dexterity, physical co-ordination or ability to lift, carry or otherwise move everyday objects.
This Order will apply to all land, within the District of Cannock Chase, which is open to the air and to which the public are entitled or permitted to have access (with or without payment).
2)    The Dogs on Leads (Cannock Chase) Order 2009 
All dogs must be kept on a lead on a road, which includes all carriageways and adjoining footpath verges within 3 metres of such carriageways 

Penalties
Any person in charge of a dog who does not clean up the mess, or fails to keep a dog on a lead on a road, will be issued with a £75 Fixed Penalty Notice or be liable to prosecution and may be fined up to £1,000 on conviction.

Copies of the Orders are available for inspection at the Council Offices, Civic Centre, Beecroft Road, Cannock., WS11 1BG. Alternatively you can download them as below.

Dogs may only be reclaimed from the kennels during the following hours 8.30am - 8.00pm Monday-Friday 9.00am - 12.00noon Saturday and Sunday, during weekends and evenings please ring the kennels first to arrange collection.
To reclaim your dog a statutory fee of £25 is payable to Cannock Chase District Council plus any kennelling and vet’s fees incurred in looking after your dog, payable directly to the kennels.
Payment by cash or cheque directly to the kennels on collection.

What happens if I do not collect my dog within 8 days?
Seized dogs are taken to the kennels immediately and are kept for 8 days, after which time the former owner no longer has any ownership rights to the dog and attempts will be made to re-home stray dogs wherever possible, otherwise it may be put down.

My dog got out of the house by accident - it wasn't straying!
Any dog found wandering unaccompanied in a public place is classed as a stray and will be dealt with by the dog warden, if reported as a stray and retained by the finder pending collection

Problems with dog fouling should be reported to the Council on 01543 462621 or email us at environmentalhealth@cannockchasedc.gov.uk .
If you are able to identify the dog owner or their address or car details, please provide this information when reporting the matter. An officer will contact you to take a witness statement if you are willing to provide evidence that will help us tackle offenders. 

If you are not able to provide any information that would enable us to identify the dog owner, It will assist us if you are able to provide the following details:-

• A description of the dog and the person in charge of it
• The location where you saw the  fouling occur
• The date and time of day

Dog walkers often follow the same route at the same time of day and it is be possible to target enforcement patrols to locations at times when incidents are most likely to occur.