Melton Borough Council aim to give the best service available when dealing with the care and control of stray dogs. All enquiries will be treated as helpfully and efficiently as possible.

The Local Authority and Police deal jointly with the problem of stray dogs.

The Councils Dog Warden is responsible for dealing with all stray dogs found within the Borough and they will be collected and detained at appropriate kennels and he may authorise their disposal if they are unclaimed after a period of seven days.

The Police have a duty to receive any stray dog taken to a police station by a member of the public. Police also retain the power to seize stray dogs.

Any stray taken into possession by the Police will be collected at the earliest oppportunity by the Dog Warden and detained as above.

Check the dog's collar for the owner's name and address and return it to that person

OR Contact the Dog Warden in whose Local Authority area it was found. The Dog Warden will collect the dog from you

OR Take the dog to your local Police Station OR the stray dogs kennels for your area

OR You may keep the stray yourself. However, if you take this course of action, you are required by law to keep the dog for at least one month unless it is claimed by it's owner. You must also inform the local Dog Warden and the Police.

You should report the loss to the Police and Dog Warden in the Local Authority area in which the dog went missing.

From previous experience, we know that stray dogs sometimes travel a considerable distance. It is, therefore, in your own interests to make enquiries in surrounding areas and with the RSPCA.

If the dog is found, you will be asked to collect it. Before it is returned, you will be required to pay any kennelling or veterinary charges incurred.

That every dog in a public place must wear a collar with the name and address of the owner on it.
You always clean up after your dog. Failure to do so is a criminal offence (even if it happens while the dog is straying) and may result in a fixed penalty fine or prosecution.
That the dog does not attack people or animals. If it does, it may be classified as a dangerous dog. It is a criminal offence to keep such a dog.
If you allow your dog to worry livestock (or while straying it does so) you could be prosecuted. This may result in a Court appearance, with damages being awarded for injury to or loss of the livestock, a Court Order for the destruction of the dog, or the dog may be shot by the farmer whose livestock it was worrying.
Dogs do not require a licence. This was abolished in 1988.