Lost a dog
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Oak Tree Animals’ Charity has not been a receiving point for stray dogs since March 2015 and we are no longer the dog wardens, so if you lose your dog, it is likely to end up in the care of local authorities in Cumbria. (The Police do not accept stray dogs.)
There is also a tariff of payable charges to retrieve your dog depending on such things as whether your dog has been kennelled, received flea and worm treatments, and had a veterinary check up for example. Most Councils only allow collection of your dog during office hours, Monday to Friday - this is to allow any outstanding costs to be settled by you, the owner.
Remember to check with neighbours and use social media to see if anyone has seen your dog. It is a good idea to have a photo of the dog in digital form which you can easily send or post.
Contact your microchip database to tell them that your dog is lost. They can notify you if someone tries to change your dog’s chip details. Please remember that it is the law to have your dog microchipped, and the details up to date. If the dog is chipped and collected, you, as the owners, can be easily found.
Legally, the council is only obliged to hold on to a stray dog for just seven days (five days in Northern Ireland) before they can rehome them, pass them to a rehoming organisation or have them humanely put to sleep.
Please contact your local council to see if your dog has been handed in:
- Cumberland Council - 01228 817200 (Monday to Friday 8am - 5pm) 07739 223378 (Monday to Friday 5pm -8am and 24 hours at weekends/bank holidays)
- Westmorland & Furness Council - 0300 373 3300
- Dumfries and Galloway - 0303 333 3000
- Scottish Borders - 0300 100 1800
- Northumberland Council - 0345 600 6400