Any dog which is unaccompanied, other than on its owner’s or keeper’s land is treated as a stray dog under the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 (as amended).
If you own a dog, it is your responsibility to make sure it does not stray.
Any dog found wandering in a public place is considered a stray and may be picked up by our Dog Warden and taken to the dog Kennels.
The dog will remain impounded for a minimum of 5 days after which time it may be rehomed .
To report a lost or stolen dog, call us on 028 3752 9626. We can then check to see if it has been picked up by our Dog Warden.
The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 (as amended) also requires that when in a public place most dogs must wear a collar; and that the collar must have the name and address of the keeper inscribed directly onto it, or onto a plate or badge attached to the collar. This will speed up the time it takes to find your dog.
This requirement does not apply to:
- A dog in a pack of hounds;
- A dog being shown in a competition; and
- Any sporting or working dog while it is working.
In line with changes introduced by the Dogs (Amendment) Act 2011, from April 2012 it will be a condition of any dog licence that the dog in respect of which it is issued has been fitted with a microchip.
