Stray Dogs in the UK: What to Do if You See One
A stray dog is the council's job, not the police's, and the warden can scan its chip to trace the owner. Knowing who to ring, and when, gets the dog home faster and keeps you both safe.
You’ve come across a dog with no owner in sight. Report it to the council’s dog warden. If the dog is nervous or acting strangely, don’t approach it: keep a safe distance, note where it is and let the warden handle the rest.
Who to report a stray dog to
Every local authority must appoint an officer to deal with stray dogs found in its area, usually called the dog warden.
If you find a stray dog and can’t contact the owner, GOV.UK says you must report it to the council. You can find the right council through the postcode lookup on the GOV.UK “report stray dog” page, which covers England and Wales.
What counts as a stray dog
If the council’s officer has reason to believe a dog found in a public place, or on other land, is a stray, they must seize and detain it where practicable. On private land that isn’t a public place, they need the consent of the owner or occupier first.
If the animal is a cat rather than a dog, our guide to how to tell if a cat is stray explains what to look for and who to call.
Getting a stray dog scanned
Once the warden has the dog, they’ll scan it for a microchip. Vet practices, rescue centres and grooming parlours may also be able to scan a dog, but the PDSA notes they’re unlikely to be able to take it into their care. The warden is still the one to report the dog to.
If you can get close to the dog safely, check for a collar and tag with an address. A tag may let you ring the owner yourself.
If you’re the owner of a lost dog rather than the finder, the warden can only ring you if the chip is registered. Our dog microchip page covers how to register and keep your details up to date.
If you take the dog home
If you take possession of a stray dog, the law says you must act straight away. You can either return it to its owner, or take it to the council’s officer for the area where you found it. You must also tell the officer where the dog was found. Our Found a dog? guide covers what to do, who to call and how to report it.
When the police are involved
Since April 2008, stray dogs in England and Wales have been a job for councils, not the police. The police still deal with dogs that are dangerously out of control, and with dog theft. So if the dog in front of you is attacking or threatening someone, or you have reason to think it was stolen, ring the police rather than the council. Anything else, such as a loose dog in the street or one tied outside a shop, goes to the council’s dog warden.
If you have a chip number, check where it's registered.
