Worthing Borough Council

Lost & Found

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01273 263046

PCDW@worthing.gov.uk

Losing your dog can be very stressful and worrying. To help avoid all the suffering involved certain simple precautions can be taken to ensure your pet remains safe and if lost is returned to you quickly:

• Make sure your garden is secure and your dog unable to climb, jump, squeeze or dig its way out. Gates should have secure latches and inform people who may use them to “CLOSE THE GATE”.
• Devise a procedure for all your family when entering and leaving the house so that the dog is not able to slip out.
• Avoid leaving your dog in a vehicle alone for any time. Often people leave a window down for air and it gives people an opportunity to get in your car and steal your dog or release it on the road. Dogs can also die if left in hot cars for any length of time.
• Make sure your dog has a collar with a visible and legible up to date identification disc on it. It is preferable to include a telephone number where you can be contacted anytime.
• Consider a more permanent form of identification, such as micro chipping or tattooing. Worthing Borough Council's Dog Warden can micro chip your dog in your own home for just £15.00.

The Control of Dogs Order 1992 requires “ every dog while in a highway or in a place of public resort shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a place or badge attached to it”.

Missing dogs are often picked up quickly by concerned members of the public who usually contact us promptly. If your dog has the legally required visible identification on its collar then you can be contacted immediately and your dog can then be returned to you free of charge. If the dog has no visible identification on it, or the owner cannot be contacted, the procedure is more complicated. The dog will be transported to private kennels and the owner will be charged a release fee.

When you first notice that your dog has gone missing it is useful to contact the following:

• Dog Wardens at Worthing Borough Council
• Sussex Police, Tel: 0845 6070999

It should be noted Sussex Police no longer have the facilities to house stray dogs at their Police Stations. However, if you do lose your dog, or even find one, please still notify Sussex Police as the finder, or owner, may have contacted them and this information will be logged and the Police can still assist in reuniting dog and owner. 

If your dog has not been picked up and returned to you within a reasonable period of time you can make contact further afield:

• Adjoining Local Authorities: Adur and Arun districts.
• Dogs Trust - Shoreham Tel: 01273 452 576
• Battersea Dogs Home – London Tel: 020 76 223 626
• W.A.D.A.R.S - Tel: 01903 217 788
• Grove Lodge Hospital – Tel: 01903 234 866
• R.S.P.C.A. Kennels Patcham - Tel: 01273 554 218

You can also:

• Prepare a poster and put them up in the area your dog was lost, and distribute them locally.
• Contact any veterinary clinics in your area in case your dog has been involved in a road traffic accident.
• Advertise your lost dog in the local newspapers and the Friday Ad paper.

Once your dog is found inform the Dog Warden and the Police.

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