COPELAND Council has taken in 50 stray dogs from the borough’s streets over a period of 12 months (April 18 to March 19).
The Council’s Enforcement Officers have collected a range of breeds including Spaniels, Lurchers, Huskies, Terriers and Labradors.
Once a dog is detained by officers it is then taken to Whinmill Farm, High Harrington where the owner can claim and collect the animal. If they had been microchipped officers could have returned the dog to its home address.
All of these dogs were either not microchipped, the microchip couldn’t be located by handheld devices or details on the microchip were incorrect.
Copeland Council publish details of any dogs caught by its officers on its Pride of Place Facebook and Twitter pages in an attempt to reunite the dogs with their owners.
The council urges any member of public who comes across a stray dog to report it to our officers immediately by calling 01946 598300 or emailing [email protected].
Mike Starkie, Mayor of Copeland, said: “Where possible we will always try and reunite the dog with its owner if the animal is microchipped and the details are correct.
“Although it is now compulsory for owners to ensure their dog is microchipped and that contact details are kept up to date, some owners fail in their duty to their pet and the safety of the public.
“One of the issues we are trying to tackle through our Pride of Place campaign is to reduce dog fouling, this includes the message that owners must keep their dogs safe and secure, otherwise they could receive an £80 fine if their dog was to break free and foul on our streets.
“We understand that dogs can sometimes escape unexpectedly and this is why our officer’s first priority is to try and take a stray dog back home where possible avoiding costs to the owners.”
Where officers have been forced to take a stray dog to boarding kennels, owners become liable for costs incurred.
Microchipping a dog costs as little as £10 – £15 at a veterinary practice or may be done free of charge by some animal charities.
You can follow the Pride of Place social media accounts at facebook.com/Copeland-Pride-of-Place or twitter.com/CBCPrideofPlace.
