Cornwall Council returns hundreds of 'stray' dogs to owners

If a dog is picked up, owners have to pay a minimum release and admin fee of £80

Dog owners are being urged to take steps to prevent their pets going missing and being reported as strays.

In the 2020-2021 financial year, Cornwall Council picked up 379 dogs reported as strays, with 303 later reunited with their owners.

If a dog is picked up, owners have to pay a minimum release and administration fee of £80.

Lost dogs can be checked via an online register.

If a dog is put in kennels there is an additional charge of £14 a day, and if the owner wants to collect their dog out of hours there is an extra charge of £50, says the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).

The council's community protection team urged people to ensure gardens were safe and secure, and dogs were kept on leads if they were nervous or not trained.

They said owners should ensure dogs have collars with contact details on them, and microchip details should be updated and correct.