Dogs lost and found

Report or claim a lost or stray dog

To report or claim a lost or stray dog:

call 01594 810000 9am to 4.45pm Monday to Thursday, 9am to 4.30pm on Friday
email customer.services@fdean.gov.uk

If you pick up a stray dog, we will collect it and take it to our council-appointed kennels. The owner will then have seven days to claim the dog. We will attempt to release a dog to the owner if a dog is microchipped and/or ownership can be proven.

Out of office hours

Kennels are open until 8pm Monday to Thursday and 6pm Friday to Sunday. Contact:

Sling kennels on 01594 832536 or 07876 641854

Pick-up and release fees

If a dog is microchipped with up-to-date contact details we will get in touch with the owner to confirm we have their dog.

By law, we charge owners a fee of £25 for any dog picked up and released directly to them by a warden. If the dog is taken to the kennels the fee will be £60 for the first day with a £15 kennelling fee for each subsequent day.

Microchipping and responsible dog ownership

It is a legal requirement that your dog is microchipped. Microchipping helps to reunite you with your pet quickly should they become lost.

If you are thinking about owning a dog, or if you already have one:

make sure that your dog is trained in basic obedience. Look for a local training class
worm your dog about every four months, puppies more frequently. Ask your vet for advice
clean up after your dog - bag it and bin it!
make sure your dog has a collar and tag with your address details. This is a legal requirement and without it, you could be fined. Your telephone number and postcode are optional, but useful.

Download our dog owner's guide:

PDF Icon A guide to responsible dog ownership - pdf - 2.26 Mb

Dangerous dogs

Dangerous dog incidents are dealt with by Gloucestershire Constabulary. To report an incident call the 101 non-emergency number.

XL Bully information

As of 1 February 2024, it is illegal to own an XL Bully unless the dog is exempted. The deadline for exempting XL Bullies has now passed.

What is an offence now the ban has been introduced?

The XL Bully dog is a prohibited type of dog under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991. This means it is illegal to sell, breed or give away an XL Bully dog in England and Wales.

It is also against the law to own an XL Bully dog in England and Wales without an exemption certificate. Owners of exempted dogs must adhere to the conditions at all times otherwise they may be committing a criminal offence and could have their dog seized.

If you have a Certificate of Exemption

For the life of the dog, you must:

keep the dog at the same address as the certificate holder (you can keep the dog at a different address for a maximum of 30 days in a 12-month period)
tell the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) if you permanently change address (you do not need to do this if the dog is temporarily kept at a different address, which is allowed for a maximum of 30 days in a 12-month period)
tell Defra if the dog dies or is exported
have third party public liability insurance for your dog and provide proof of this within 5 days if asked by Defra
keep the dog muzzled in public places – Defra recommends using a muzzle that does not inhibit the dog from panting, breathing or drinking
keep the dog on a lead in public places – the lead must be securely held by someone at least 16 years of age
keep the dog in secure conditions that will prevent them from escaping

It’s also an offence to:

sell an XL Bully dog
abandon an XL Bully dog or let it stray
give away an XL Bully dog
breed or breed from an XL Bully dog
have an XL Bully in public without a lead and muzzle

If you own an XL Bully, and you have applied for exemption, you must by law follow a number of requirements.

You will need third-party liability insurance, which is insurance against your dog injuring other people - this is provided through Dogs Trust Membership. Your dog must be microchipped (which is already a legal requirement).
Your dog must be neutered.
You must adhere to the conditions otherwise you could be committing a criminal offence and your dog could be seized. You must be able to show the Certificate of Exemption when asked by the Police or a local government officer, either at the time or within 5 days.

What should I do if I haven’t exempted my XL Bully or am unsure if my dog is an XL Bully?

If you think your dog might be an XL Bully but haven’t gone through the exemption process then you will need to contact your local Dog Legislation Officer through your local police force. It is a police dog legislation officer who will assess and determine whether or not your dog is illegal.

Can I report an XL Bully dog to you?

We do not deal with complaints about dogs acting dangerously - please take any concerns about aggressive dogs to the police. As the current law stands, it is an offence to allow a dog of any breed or type to be dangerously out of control in a public or private place.