Lost dogs
Darlington Council has a Dog Warden Facebook page [external link]. The Civic Enforcement team monitor the page and members of the public can also contribute.
If you have lost your dog you can report it to us on the online form below.
Report a lost, found or stray dog
If the dog has not already been found, our officers will look out for it on our daily patrols.
We operate 8am to 9pm 7 days a week. Within these hours of service we will scan any dogs we attend and will try and contact the owner. If we are unable to make contact, the dog is not micro-chipped or we have picked the dog up as a stray before, we will take them straight to our kennelling provider.
If a dog is found out of hours by a member of the public, security will safely place the dog in our Allington Way kennels with fresh water and bedding. Within a day, the dog will then be transferred to our kennelling provider. The owner has 7 days to contact us on 01325 406999 to arrange to collect their dog.
The council operates a non-destruct policy for all healthy and non-aggressive dogs. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 all dogs seized as strays by the council will become the property of the council after they have been kept for a mandatory period of 7 days and remain unclaimed by the owner. After this period the dog will be gifted to an animal charity by the council and the previous owner will have no legal claim to it. Any proceeds from the sale of this dog will be used by the charity which rehomes the dog to subsidise the service they provide.
If your dog is taken to our Allington Way kennel and you collect from there, the standard charge is £45. (£25 statutory fee plus £20 kennelling fee.)
If we transport and kennel your dog at our kennelling provider there are extra charges to pay. The standard charge of £45 plus kennelling charges of £30 per day or part day, and a handling fee of £50. The minimum fee for this is £125.
External kennel charges
| Duration of stay | Charges | Total to pay |
|---|---|---|
| 0-1 day | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £30 kennelling fee | £125 |
| 1-2 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £60 kennelling fee | £155 |
| 2-3 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £90 kennelling fee | £185 |
| 3-4 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £120 kennelling fee | £215 |
| 4-5 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £150 kennelling fee | £245 |
| 5-6 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £180 kennelling fee | £275 |
| 6-7 days | £45 standard charge + £50 handling fee + £210 kennelling fee | £315 |
The charges are to cover the fees we are charged by the kennelling provider. Also, if we transport or kennel your dog we have to clean our van, the kennel your dog was housed in and provide food.
All payments must be made in full to Darlington Council before arrangements will be made to return the dog to the owner. Contact us on 01325 406999
You can collect your dog between the hours of 8am and 6pm, 7 days per week except for Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
You will also need to provide;
- Photographic Identification: for example, a photo card driving licence, passport, bus pass.
- One proof of current address (less than 3 months old): for example, a utility bill, rent book, council tax bill.
- Proof of ownership: for example a, purchase receipt, photographs of the dog in your own home or with your family, vaccination/vet record, up to date microchip details.