Stray dogs are returned to their owner provided the owner can be identified, by the dog wearing a collar and tag or if they are microchipped. If the owner can't be identified the dog will be taken to Three Oaks Dog Boarding Kennels and Cattery, located in Bishops Waltham.
After a period of 7 days, legal ownership passes to East Hampshire District Council who will then try to find a new home for the dog.
Dog owners responsibilities
By law, your dog must while in any public place:
- wear a collar or a tag with the owners name and address on it. If it does not wear a collar or a tag with these details, the person in charge of a dog could be prosecuted and fined up to £2,000
- be microchipped and registered with up to date details, if not you can be fined up to £500.
Charges
There will be charges to pay if your dog was collected by the animal welfare officers or taken to the reception centre. You must pay full kennelling rates directly to the kennels for every day or part-day that your dog was there.
- Kennels (dog taken in but not kept overnight) - £27.00
- Kennels (up to 2 days) - £54.00
- Kennels (up to 3 days) - £81.00
- Kennels (up to 4 days) - £108.00
- Kennels (up to 5 days) - £135.00
- Kennels (up to 6 days) - £162.00
- Kennels (up to 7 days) - £189.00
- Kennels (up to 8 days) - £216.00
In addition you must also pay the statutory fee of £25.00 plus a handling charge of £28.00 per animal. If your dog was taken to the reception centre outside the council's normal working hours, there will be an extra charge of £13.00
You must also pay any vet bills incurred while your dog was at the kennels.
If you lose or find a dog
If you lose or find a dog between 9am and 5pm (office hours), please report it to us by calling 01730 234360. Our Animal Welfare Officers will then collect the stray dog as soon as possible as long as it is secured. We use Three Oaks Dog Boarding Kennels and Cattery located in Bishops Waltham to hold stray dogs.
To contact the Kennels, please call (01489) 892760. If you lose or find a dog outside of office hours, please phone our Stray Dog Acceptance Point on (01489) 892760. The owner may have already contacted the kennels and they can put you in touch to arrange reunification. Please be advised that the kennels will be unable to collect the lost or stray dog.
Collecting a dog from the kennels
Members of the public can claim their dogs, (with prior contact) subject to the payment of the requisite fees and provision of ID, directly from Three Oaks kennels during the following hours only:
Monday to Sunday, 9am-11am or 3pm-5pm.
You will also need to provide proof of ownership of the dog you are collecting. A dog will not be given back unless we are satisfied that you are its rightful owner.