Emma Sparkes
Your Ref:
Our Ref:
FOI 310/21/Env/MB
Please ask for: M Bussey
Email:
request-764622-
Direct Dialling: 01909 533533
xxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx.xxx
Email:
xxxxxxxxxxx@xxxxxxxxx.xxx.xx
24th June 2021
Dear Ms Sparkes
I refer to your request under the Freedom of Information Act Ref 310/21 dated 11th June 2021, requesting
information on the stray dog service provided by Bassetlaw District Council.
Whilst the Act confers a general right of access to information held by public authorities, Section 1 provides that
any person making a request for information to a public authority is entitled:-
a)
To be informed in writing by the public authority whether it holds information of the description
specified in the request; and
b)
If that is the case to have that information communicated to him’, subject to the effect of the
exemptions in Part 11 of the Act.
Therefore pursuant to the Council’s duty to confirm or deny whether or not it holds the information requested I
can confirm the following:-
1. What is your policy on managing stray dogs in your local Authority area?
We have one appointed contract kennels for all our strays to initially kennel strays, but then to attempt
to rehome.
Dogs seized as strays by the Dog Warden or handed in direct to the kennels are first checked for a
microchip. If the microchip is up to date and the owner can be contacted, and it is the first time that the
dog has strayed, it will be returned to the owner without charge.
If it is not chipped, the chip has not been updated, or it has strayed before, it will be kennelled and the
owner must pay a release and daily kennelling fee.
After 8 days, the dog will be donated by the Council to the contract kennels to be rehomed – unless it is
judged not to be re-homeable, in which case it will be euthanized, or a vet advises that it needs to be
euthanized for animal welfare reasons.
Very occasionally a dog will be given into the care of the finder under the dog certification provisions of
the Act
Owners who persistently allow their dogs to stray can be served with a Community Protection Notice
under the Anti-Social Crime and Policing Act 2014
2. How many stray dogs did your local authority take responsibility for each year between 2018-2020?
2018 = 194
How many were then adopted?
101 (via the contract kennels)
How many went to animal rescue?
0
How many were euthanized?
28
What happened to any dogs who did not fall into the above categories?
65 were returned to their owners, very small number rehomed on certificate
2019 = 142
How many were then adopted?
82 (via the contract kennels)
How many went to animal rescue?
0
How many were euthanized?
18
What happened to any dogs who did not fall into the above categories?
42 were returned to their owners, very small number rehomed on certificate
2020 = 112
How many were then adopted?
67 (via the contract kennels)
How many went to animal rescue?
0
How many were euthanized?
5
What happened to any dogs who did not fall into the above categories?
40 were returned to their owners, very small number rehomed on certificate
3. Of the dogs adopted or went to rescue, please provide a breakdown year by year of the number of dogs to
each organisation
All dogs seized are taken to one contract kennels. Dogs are either reclaimed by their owners, donated to
the contract kennels for rehoming or are euthanized. The contract kennels are Carlton Forest Rescue
Centre, Carlton Forest, Worksop, Notts
If you are dissatisfied with the Freedom of Information response set out in this letter you are able to utilise the
Council’s complaints procedure which allows one right of review via this system. Details can be found using
the link below:
http://www.bassetlaw.gov.uk/everything-else/about-us/complaints-compliments.aspx
If you remain dissatisfied with the handling of your request or complaint the Act confers a further right to
complain to the Information Commissioner at
www.ico.gov.uk . During the current circumstances with the
Coronavirus Pandemic the ICO are asking if possible to be contacted online and not to correspond by post. You
can also call them on 0303 123 1113 or via email
xxxx@xxx.xxx.xxx.xx . However the Information Commissioner
will not usually consider a complaint if the complainant has not utilised their one right of review via the Council’s
complaints procedure.
I trust this answers your query fully.
Yours sincerely
M Bussey
ENVIRONMENT SERVICES.
