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Dog Warden Service for Lost and Found Dogs
The Council operates a Dog Warden Service from 8.30am-9pm seven days a week.
The Dog Warden Service will collect stray dogs which are held in someone's home or garden.
The Council is unable to act upon reports of dogs seen straying. If dogs are seen straying on the main road and are posing a danger to traffic then please call the Police using the 999 emergency number or the local police contact number.
9am-5pm Monday – Friday phone 01473 825889
Evenings and Weekends phone 0808 1684555
When calling to report a lost/found dog please have to hand as much information as possible (including breed, colour, distinguishing features, whether it is wearing a collar and the location and time where it was lost/found).
The Council is able to deal with lost dog reports at all times. However, we are only able to collect dogs between 8.30am - 9pm daily. If a dog is found after 9pm, please contain it if possible until the next morning. Please note that no collection service is available on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day.
If you have lost your dog you may also wish to contact local vets as well as Councils bordering Babergh as it may have been reported to them as a found dog. We will put details of your lost dog on our files and contact you if we have any reports of dogs matching its description (see also Kennels).
If you have found a dog and have held it within a home or garden, please contact the Dog Warden Service. In the meantime, try to contain the dog in a secure area and give the dog access to water. (See also Kennels).
Kennels
All found dogs collected by the Council are taken to our kennels where they will be kept for seven days to be reclaimed by the owner. After this time, they become the responsibility of the kennels who will make efforts to rehome them.
If you are interested in rehoming a dog, please see the following website - West End Farm Kennels for details of dogs looking for a new home, or ring West End Rehoming Ltd on 01449 737641.
If your dog has been seized as a stray and taken to the kennels, you will be required to pay a fee to reclaim it. This fee will depend on whether the dog was wearing identification, whether it is the first time the dog has been seized, and how long it has been at the kennels.
West End Kennels are able to accept payment by debit and credit card, including over the phone. Please note that West End Farm Kennels will charge a £2.50 fee for the use of credit cards (no charge for debit cards).
All reports of Dangerous Dogs should be made to the Police.
But do not approach any type of dog if you feel it is showing signs of aggression.
If you are concerned about the welfare of a dog please ring the RSPCA (RSPCA contact page).
Dog Control
All dogs are required by law to wear a collar and identity tag when in a public place. Dogs must also be kept under proper control at all times and should be kept on a lead when near livestock.
Dog Fouling
As well as being an eyesore and nuisance, on most public land it is also an offence under the Dogs (Fouling of Land) Act 1996 not to clear up after your dog after it has fouled. The Council has powers to issue ‘on the spot’ Fixed Penalty Notices of £50, or this can lead to a fine of up to £1,000 in court.
Dog fouling should be wrapped and disposed of in one of the many dog bins in the Babergh District, or by placing it in your black wheelie bin.
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