Dog management PSPO consultation
We consulted on a dog management Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) covering Medway from Friday 9 August to Friday 6 September 2024.
Collecting stray dogs
If you find a stray dog, you can report it to us and we'll make arrangements to collect it.
Our animal wardens collect stray dogs from Monday to Sunday, 9am to 4pm.
Make a report - Monday to Friday
You can report a stray dog by calling 01634 333 333.
Out-of-hours and weekends reporting
You can report a stray dog by calling 01634 304 400.
What happens after
Your report will be passed to an animal warden who may need to contact you for further information.
Lost dogs
If your dog is lost you should report it to us by phoning 01634 333 333 or emailing animal.wardens@medway.gov.uk.
We will then check our records of stray dogs seized.
You can also check our Facebook page. This is updated daily with stray dogs found in Medway.
You could also:
- call the microchip database they are registered with and report them as lost or stolen. Make sure your contact details are up to date
- contact neighbouring local councils as dogs may move across local borders
- call local kennels and charities. It’s possible someone has found the dog and taken them to a local rehoming centre or kennels
- contact local vet surgeries or animal hospitals. If your dog has been injured, it may have been taken there for treatment
- check online lost and found websites and notice boards in your local area. For example, DogLost is a free national database run by volunteers who will help you to search for your dog
- visit places where other dog walkers go and ask them to keep an eye out for your dog.
Contact Kent Police if you think your dog has been stolen.
How to get your dog back if seized as a stray
You will need to call us on 01634 333 333. Ask to speak to an animal warden to make arrangements to collect your dog.
You can also email the team at animal.wardens@medway.gov.uk.
We will advise how to make payment for the release fee of your dog. Once full payment has been made we will tell you where to collect your dog from, and when.
We will only release your dog once you have paid the release fee. Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, local councils can withhold a dog from its owner until all fees have been paid.
You cannot pay by instalments.
How much it costs
If we've picked up your dog as a stray, you’ll need to pay a minimum release and admin fee. This is £71.80.
If your dog was placed into kennels there is an additional expense. This is £16 per day or part day.
If you're unable to collect your dog from an agreed location, a delivery fee of £29.50 will be charged.
These fees contribute towards the cost of caring for the dog and running the stray dog service. You must also pay any vet fees incurred for your dog.
Should your dog be collected by an animal warden on a Saturday or Sunday you will be charged an additional out of
If a dog's owner is not found
We make every effort to reunite dogs with their owners.
If the owner cannot be
Rehoming to the public
We cannot rehome to the public because to make sure a dog is rehomed suitable, a number of checks need to be carried out, including:
- adequate behavioural assessments
- home checks
- preventative healthcare procedures.
As we have limited resource, we are not able to carry these out. We are also not able to provide a rescue backup should the new owner no longer be able to care for the dog.
If you are interested in rehoming one of our stray dogs, please register with Battersea Dogs and
Stray dog fund
You can help care for the unclaimed stray dogs that come into our care by donating to our stray dog fund.
Find out more about the stray dog fund.
Identification tags
By law, your dog must wear a collar when out in a public place. The collar or tag must have your name and address (including postcode) engraved or written on it.
This applies even if the dog is chipped or tattooed.
If you break this law you can be fined up to £5,000.
Medway Canine Code
We encourage all dog owners to abide by the Medway Canine Code. This will help reduce stray dogs and benefit the whole community.
Read the Medway Canine Code.
Dangerous dogs
A dog is classified as dangerous if it injures someone, or if someone is in fear of being injured.
You should contact Kent Police if you have concerns about a dog being dangerous in a public place.
XL Bully dogs
From Sunday 31 December 2023, it will be illegal for an XL Bully to be allowed to stray.