Thanet’s hike in charges for picking up stray dogs

Dog warden fees have gone up

Dog owners face bigger bills if their pet has to be picked up by the dog warden.

An £80 administration fee is now being added to kennelling and return to owner costs.

Thanet council states: “The dog wardens will try to return a dog home if the owner can be located. The dog will otherwise be taken to a kennels.

“Kennelling fees of £13 per day will be charged, as well as a £25 return-to-owner fee and an £80 administration fee, implemented from 1 September 2017, which is payable before a dog can be returned. Any vet fees may be charged separately, if appropriate.

“Unclaimed dogs will be kept for 7 clear days and attempts will be made to rehome it or give it to a dog rescue centre. If this is not possible, it may be destroyed. However, the council has never had a healthy dog destroyed.

“The Control of Dogs Order 1992 makes it an offence for a dog not to wear a collar bearing the name and address of the owner. Failure to observe this law could lead to prosecution and a fine of up to £2,000.”

The introduction of the £80 administration  fee will contribute to the cost of running the stray dog service, which includes employing staff, leasing vehicles, delivering dogs, associated running costs and the purchase of specialist equipment.

Dog owners must

Ensure that your dog has a collar with an up-to-date tag at all times.
Make sure that your garden is escape-proof before you leave your dog alone there.
Do not allow your dog to run loose on its own.
Report dogs that regularly stray to the dog warden.
The Environmental Protection Act 1990 places a duty on councils to collect stray dogs.

If you find a stray dog call 01843 577000.  The council provide a stray dog collection service Monday to Saturday 9am until 5pm.

1 Comment

  1. I thought it was a legal requirement for all dogs and maybe cats to be chipped these days so it would be better and therefore cheaper to just scan the animal to find out where it’s registered home is and thus avoiding the need for it being taken away to kennels.
    I can imagine many local owners in this present climate not being able to pay these huge fees to reclaim their dog if it wanders away. It will hit the less able to pay the worst as usual.

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