Found or lost a dog? Important changes to Council service
IMPORTANT changes, which will enhance the Council’s stray dog kennelling service, have been introduced.
The improved service now includes a 24 hour, 365 days of the year service to receive stray dogs. Rhondda Cynon Taf Council's statutory Dog Warden service still operates and stray/found dogs continue to be taken to safe kennels run by Hope Rescue, where attempts will be made to reunite them with their owners or, if not claimed, re-homed.
As well as the enhanced dog kennelling service and, following extensive consultation carried out last year, the Council’s Animal Wardens will now deliver a mobile service across the county borough where they will collect stray dogs and check them for ID tags or microchips in order to return the dog to their owners.
If they cannot identify the dog's owner, it will be taken to the Hope Rescue kennel provision in Llanharan.
Here, efforts will be made to reunite the dog with its owner. If it is not claimed after seven days, the dog will go into the care of Hope Rescue, which already has a contract with the Council to take unclaimed strays from the pound and re-homed.
The changes to the management of stray and found dogs once again highlights how important it is for dog owners to ensure they are not only being responsible, but are adhering to the law, by:
- Ensuring their dog is microchipped and the details on that chip (address and telephone number) are up to date
- The dog is wearing a collar and a tag which clearly shows the owners name, house number, postcode and telephone number.
A council spokesperson said "We are known as a nation of dog lovers and the best way to demonstrate that in RCT is to ensure your dog has a microchip and a tag and that the details on both are correct and up to date.
"These simple measures, which cost a few pounds upfront, mean if the warden finds your dog straying, you will be contacted and arrangements made to return the dog to you if it is practical and appropriate to do so.
"Whilst the Council’s statutory animal warden service continues we are pleased to be extending our work with Hope Rescue to provide an enhanced dog kennelling service. Out of office hours and on weekends, people can hand in found dogs to Hope Rescue 24 hours a day, 365 days a year.”
From Monday, June 12, the new arrangements are as follows:
- Council dog wardens will work proactively in communities between 9am and 5pm, Monday to Friday, to respond to calls regarding stray or found dogs, as well as issues such as noise nuisance caused by barking dogs.
- Any dog that is found during these hours will be scanned on the spot by the dog warden and, if they are chipped and the dog is not a regular "stray" the owners will be contacted and reunited with their pet immediately and without charge.
- Any dog found during these hours that is not chipped or tagged will be taken to Hope Rescue where the dog will be held for seven days and attempts made to trace its owner. You can claim your dog from the kennels but it will not be released until all charges are paid.
- It is a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped. If your unchipped dog is restrained as a stray and taken to kennels, it will be microchipped before it is released and you will have to cover that cost also.
- You can check the Hope Rescue facebook page for details of found dogs they have in their care. You can also call Hope Rescue on 01443 226659 or visit www.hoperescue.org.uk
- Any dog that is not claimed after seven days will immediately transfer into the care of Hope Rescue, which already has a contract with the Council to take all unclaimed strays. It will be rehomed.
- Anyone who finds a dog outside of the warden working hours (9am-5pm Monday to Friday) can call the Council on 01443 425011.They will be given a reference number that allows the dog to be accepted at Hope Rescue (24 hr service). If the finder is unable to get the dog to Llanharan, they can make arrangements for the dog to be collected by the warden when they are next on duty.
Find out more information about the arrangements, contact information, out of hours arrangements and charges at www.rctcbc.gov.uk/straydog
