Should you come across a healthy stray dog, the most important step to take is to notify your councils local dog warden service.
For The Borough of King’s Lynn and West Norfolk Council visit: https://www.west-norfolk.gov.uk/info/20094/animals_and_pests/403/lost_and_stray_dogs OR go to King’s Lynn Council website via a search engine and search lost/stray dogs in the search bar.
From this page you can access a ‘lost dogs list’ where you can search for a potential match in order to reunite this pet with its owner.
If you are unable to see a likely match to the dog you have found, you will need to click the ‘report a stray dog’ link. You will then be asked to complete a submission form which will ask you for some details about the dog you have found and a location they can collect it from. From here, the dog warden will be alerted and they will arrange to come and collect the stray dog. Please note: The dog must be contained and must not be running loose or the dog warden will not collect it.
You may take the dog to your local vet to be scanned for a microchip, however, it is not guaranteed that they will be able to contact the owner and due to data protection laws, they will be unable to provide you with any microchip details they find. Also, if like us they cannot provide boarding for stray dogs, you may be directed to the dog warden anyway. It is always recommended to contact the veterinary practice prior to presenting the patient.
Call to notify as many local vets as possible so they are able to file a ‘found report’ on their system. Many vets will keep these details on their system to check against if any owners call to notify them of a lost dog. At Mill House, we keep these details for 3 months. Please call us on 01553 771457 to speak to a member of our friendly team.
Spread the word
- Check local social media groups as these can be a valuable source to locate posts reporting the dog as missing and hopefully enable you to get in contact with the stray dog’s owner.
- Share on social media sites.
- Put up posters in shops, pubs, vets, notice boards, etc in the area local to where you found the dog. Remember to put them in plastic sleeves so they are protected from the rain. As mentioned previously, PetsReunited will create a poster free of charge after you register a pet on their site.