Stray Dogs

Stray dogs

Any dog loose in a public place with no person obviously responsible for it may be considered a stray.  It is then the duty of Community Safety Officers to seize the dog. If a dog has been seized by Community Safety Officers or is handed in by a member of the public and the owner cannot be contacted then it will be taken to the nearest Council Kennel and detained until the dog is claimed. 

The owner may reclaim the dog by phoning 030 33 33 3000 and must pay the appropriate stray dog fees before your dog can be released by the Council from the kennel. Enquiries about strays or payments for detained dogs are only able to be dealt with during our normal opening times; Mon-Fri 9am-5pm. If a dog remains unclaimed after seven calendar days it becomes the property of Dumfries and Galloway Council, who then will rehome the dog wherever possible.

Kennelling charges

Please be aware that kennelling charges can become a significant sum dependent on the duration of the dogs stay and possible veterinary costs.

Identification requirements for dogs

It is still a legal requirement for dogs to wear a collar with an identification tag, which gives the name and address of its owner. It is helpful if the tag includes a phone number.

From April 2016 it became compulsory for every dog to also have a microchip implanted which has the owner's details. Community Safety Officers will scan any strays to reveal its owners' details and then return the dog to the owner quickly and safely once any required fee has been paid.  Any dogs that are not microchipped will be microchipped before being returned to the owner. If you transfer your dog to another owner, it is your legal duty to contact the chip registration company to change the ownership details. The new owner must ensure this has been done, the dog's ownership cannot be transferred until the chip details are changed.

Further information

Please contact the Community Safety Team on 030 33 33 3000 or email: communitysafetyteam@dumgal.gov.uk