When nobody is in control dogs can cause problems such as road accidents, damage to property and indiscriminate fouling; they can even be aggressive towards adults, children and other people's pets; and their owners will never know what happened because they aren't with them.
A responsible dog owner will do everything they can to keep their pet and others safe.
New arrangements from July 2011
If you find a stray dog you may take it in to Leigh Dogs and Cats Home between 9.00a.m. and 9.00p.m. Weekdays; 9.00a.m. to 8.00p.m. Weekends and Bank Holidays excluding Christmas Day.
If you find a stray dog you can also contact the Helpline 01942 404364 between 8a.m. and 9p.m. on weekdays and 9a.m. and 8p.m. weekends and bank holidays excluding Christmas Day to arrange the collection of dogs that are contained, for instance in a house or on a lead (as long as you agree to stay with the dog until the collection driver arrives which may be 1-2 hours).
Dogs may not be deposited and there is no collection in response to calls after 9p.m.
Monday to Friday 8a.m. to 4p.m. complaints about wandering strays will be attended, where practicable, and dogs seized by the dog control officer in theseoperations will be taken to Leigh Dogs and Cats Home.
If you have lost your dog
You should telephone the council's Environmental Services Helpline on 01942 404364 on the first available working day between 8a.m. and 5p.m. We will search our internal database for any strays matching the description. Callers can also contact Leigh Dogs and Cats
Home in or out of normal office hours on 01942 671215 for information on lost dogs.
If your dog is detained as a stray, you will have to pay a fee before you are entitled to its return. This is £55 if you collect the dog within 24hours of its arrival at Leigh Dogs and cats Home; £85 after 24 hours have passed and up to seven days (after which it becomes the property of the Council).
The Council operate a strict policy on these payments and do not waive payment or provide any arrangements for payment by instalment etc. The full amount due must be paid at the time the dog is claimed. An owner will also be asked to provide some form of identification (passport, drivers licence, id card, utility bills giving a name and address) to prove who they are at the time they claim their dog.
What identification should my dog have?
When a dog is in any public place, it must wear a collar with a tag or badge giving the name and address of its owner.
Dog owners can also use a microchip or tattoo to permanently identify their pet.
A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice; it is placed under the skin of a pet between its shoulder blades and should stay in place for the dog's life time. Special scanners can read the electronic number on the chip and this unique number is used to identify the animal's owner on the database.
Any form of identification found will enable the Council or its agents (Leigh Dogs and cats Home) to contact the owner of stray dogs but owners must realise that there is no obligation to return the dogs free of charge or direct to home. Identification enables notification to be made, but the charges incurred must be paid before the dog can be claimed by its owner.
What should I do if I can no longer care for my dog?
The Council's arrangements for stray dogs are not a means of disposal for unwanted dogs.
Owners who no longer wish to care for their pet should contact animal welfare charities such as RSPCA, the Dogs Trust or specialist breed rescues (the Kennel Club provide a breed rescue directory) who may be able help find a new home for their pet. They should never pass the dog off as a stray.
Persons handing over stray dogs will be expected to provide their name and address and anyone discovered to have handed their own animal in as a stray (or conspired with another person to dispose of their unwanted dog) will incur a debtor account for the costs the Council incurs in dealing with the animal. Deception of this kind can also be a criminal offence.
