Dogs
Telephone 01304 872289
There are lots of positive aspects of owning a dog. It is
important however to be a responsible owner so that nuisance is not
caused to others or the environment.
Dog Fouling
Apart from the obvious
unpleasant effects of dog fouling there are potential health
risks. Dogs can be affected by several types of worm. One of which
can cause serious illness in children. It is important to clear dog
mess from public places and your own garden. You should always:
- Worm your dog every 6 months
- Wash your hands after playing with
dogs.
- Train your dog to go at home and take
a plastic bag and poop scoop when you go out, in case of
accidents. It is a legal requirement to clean up after your dog in
most public places.
Under The Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 it is an offence for
any person in charge of a dog not to remove any faeces deposited by
a dog in their charge. Anyone found guilty of an offence will be
issued with a fixed penalty ticket (currently £50 fine). This gives
the offenders the opportunity to dispose of the offence there and
then. Should the fine not be paid, or offences be persistant the
Council may prosecute with a maximum fine of £1000."
Stray Dogs
If you witness a dog roaming unattended or find a stray dog you
can report it to the Dog Warden, telephone 01304
872289. If the dog is seized but the owner cannot be
located, the dog will be taken to the kennels used by the Local
Authority, where it will be kept for 7 days. If at the end of this
period the dog has not been claimed, the kennels will endeavour to
re-home it. However, dogs found to be regularly straying will
automatically be taken to kennels and the owner, if known, will be
informed. When a dog is claimed the owner is required to contact
the Local Authority to pay a statutory fine (currently £25.00) plus
the kennelling costs. After the payment has been made arrangements
will be made to return the dog to its owner.
With effect from 1 April 2008 the responsibility for stray dogs
found out of hours passed from the Police to the Local
Authority.
If you find a stray dog out of office hours please phone
01304 821199. The operator will then give you
details of the arrangements that have been put in place. Please
note the Council do not provide a stray collection service outside
of office hours.
Lost Dogs
If you have lost a dog you can report this to the Council
on 01304 872289 with the following
information:
- Your name, address and telephone number
- Description of your dog
- Date and time lost
- Location when lost
Dog Control
Every dog must wear a collar and tag
with its owner’s name and address when in a public place. It is an
offence for a dog to be in a field with livestock without being on
a lead or some other form of control. Stray dogs found in the
district can be picked up and taken to kennels. The owner will be
charged a fee and kennelling costs which must be paid before the
animal is returned. If the dog is not claimed within 7 days it
becomes the responsibility of the stray kennel owner who will
endeavour to find the dog a new home. If a dog is not
suitable for re-homing it may be destroyed.
A MAN'S BEST FRIEND CAN BE A
NEIGHBOURS NUISANCE
Remember that it is your
responsibility to ensure your dog does not become a nuisance. If
your dog causes a nuisance action can be taken against you. If you
would like more information about dogs and the responsiblites of
owners please contact us on 01304 872289
Dangerous Dogs
It is an offence to allow a dog to be dangerously out of control
in a public place or in a private place where it is not allowed to
be. In addition, the ownership of certain types of dog, such as the
Pit Bull Terrier, is prohibited. It is also an offence to
breed from, sell or exchange (even as a gift) a prohibited type of
a dog.
Any dog is
dangerously out of control if:
- it injures a person, or
- it behaves in a way that makes a
person worried that it might injure them.
If your dog injures another person’s
animal, or an owner of an animal reasonably believes that they
could be injured if they intervened to protect their animal from
your dog, then an offence may be committed.
If you do not keep it under
control, your dog could be destroyed and you could be banned from
keeping a dog or you might be ordered to keep it muzzled when
taking it for a walk.
More information on the law covering dangerous dogs is available
on the Government's Defra website:
The Police enforce the law on dangerous dogs. Further details
are available on Kent Police's website:
- Kent
Police - Dangerous Dogs or by telephoning 101 - this a new
number for non-urgent issues and is available 24 hours a day, 7
days a week. If the police advise you to contact your local Council
you should refer them to Kent Police Policy M52.If there is an
immediate risk of harm or life is in danger, call 999.
Barking
Constant barking or howling can cause
considerable annoyance to neighbours particularly if it occurs at
unsociable hours and may lead to enforcement action by the Council.
Your dog may not like being left on its own for long periods of
time but if you do, make sure you ask someone to visit. The Council
have an advice leaflet on barking dogs. Defra provide further
advice with a downloadable leaflet.
Byelaws
Under local byelaws in designated areas there are restrictions
e.g. a dog ban on Deal beach between 1 May - 30 September. In any
designated area there will be signs. For further information
contact us on 01304 872289.
Rehoming a Stray Dog
Home checks are carried out by the owner of the stray kennel to
ensure that when unclaimed stray dogs are re-homed, they go to
responsible, caring homes. All stray dogs will be
microchipped and vaccinated by the stray kennel before being
re-homed. If you are interested in re-homing a stray,
unwanted dog please contact us on 01304
872289
Dog Bins
To report a full/damaged dog bin or to request a bin in a new
location, please telephone 01304 872428 or email
customerservices@dover.gov.uk.
Leaflets
Contact
Environmental Protection: 01304 872289
Customer Services: 01304 872428
E-mail: envhealth@dover.gov.uk
