Dog Warden Service

Dog owners are legally required to ensure that their dog wears a collar with an identity tag detailing the owner’s name, address and telephone number, in addition it is compulsory that your dog is microchipped and for the microchip details are kept up to date and if you move or change telephone number or if the dog changed ownership. This is a legal requirement.

In most cases dogs collected (“seized” under Environmental Protection Act 1990) by the Dog Warden are taken to our kennels. This enables us to do some welfare and identification checks in a calm and safe environment.  If the dog is micro-chipped or the owner can be identified, all reasonable effort will be taken to contact the owner to let them know their dog is safe.  When we identify an owner, we are required to serve a notice on the owner which sets out how they can claim their dog. Once at the kennels the dog will remain there for 7 clear days unless claimed by its owner or requires veterinary treatment. Dog owners should contact the Council by phone 01905 822799 or email enquiries@worcsregservices.gov.uk for us to check whether we have their dog.  We need to confirm ownership of anyone claiming to be the dog owner. 

If after seven days a stray dog has not been returned to its owner, the dog becomes the property of the Local Authority for the area where it was found.  In partnership with approved charities, the Council will always seek to rehome any dog assessed as suitable and only in extreme circumstances consider euthanasia.

All charities and rescue organisations we work with must agree to comply with the following stipulations;

1. All dogs are microchipped, vaccinated, neutered, wormed, de-flead, the dog receives a full vet check-up.
2. The dog is rehomed only after appropriate home checks have been satisfactorily completed.
3. The dog must benefit from a lifelong rescue backup should the adoption not be successful.

Unfortunately, we will no longer pass on to any rescue charity or organisation any offers from interested parties looking to rehome the dog.  We regret any inconvenience this might cause, but several of our partners have asked us to stop passing them details of prospective new homes because of the pressure that this can put on the charity’s staff and the difficulties that can arise if they end up having to say no to people in such circumstances.  It is good practice to rehome stray dogs away from the location they were found in and by introducing this policy we are able to continue working with a large number of charities to find new placements for our stray dogs.

We do not release information concerning the charity or rescue any dog has been passed on.

To report a stray dog contact our duty officers at Worcestershire Regulatory Services on 01905 822799 between the hours of 9am - 5pm Mon - Fri.

Outside office hours:

Worcester City  01905 722233

Malvern Hills  01527 910682

Wychavon  01527 912966

Wyre Forest  01562 732225

Redditch and Bromsgrove  01527 67666

Cheltenham  0300 303 8236

Tewkesbury  0300 303 8236

Gloucester  0300 303 8236

We will ask you to keep written records to aid us in our investigation. If you tell us who owns the dog we can also write to them to remind them of their responsibilities. We will seize persistent strays wherever possible if a member of the public can contain the dog.

Contact us on 01905 822799. Our dog wardens can give practical advice on the dog’s home environment and any training that may be required. If you no longer want to keep your dog or are struggling to manage with your dog, in some cases we can assist you in finding a new home for it.

This is possible, but we recommend you contact us so that we can make all efforts to find the owner. We will complete some paperwork with you, take photographs, check that you are able to meet the needs of the dog and not put yourself or others at risk and give you any advice you may need with regards to caring for the dog.

In the UK, a finder has the legal right to keep a dog they find until the owner comes forward.  If you find a stray dog and wish to keep it, you are required to notify the local Council where the dog was found.  This helps to avoid accusations of "theft by finding". 

If you choose to keep the dog at your home while attempting to locate the owner, you are generally required to keep it for a minimum of one month. 

Should you choose to keep the dog, during that period, you are responsible for the dog's welfare and all associated costs, such as food and vet fees.  You will also be required to receive contact from individuals contacting the council claiming to be the dog owner.

Even after one-month, legal ownership does not automatically transfer to you. The original owner may still legally claim their dog at any time in the future.