Delivery of stray dogs to officer EPA 1990 s. 150
Finder of stray dog must return or deliver to local authority officer; if keeping, inform officer and keep for 1 month; failure is summary offence fine level 2.
Any person (in this section referred to as “ the finder ”) who takes possession of a stray dog shall forthwith either— return the dog to its owner; or take the dog— to the officer of the local authority for the area in which the dog was found; . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . and shall inform the officer of the local authority . . . where the dog was found. Where a dog has been taken under subsection (1) above to the officer of a local authority, then— if the finder desires to keep the dog, he shall inform the officer of this fact and shall furnish his name and address and the officer shall, having complied with the procedure (if any) prescribed under subsection (6) below, allow the finder to remove the dog; if the finder does not desire to keep the dog, the officer shall, unless he has reason to believe it is not a stray, treat it as if it had been seized by him under section 149 above. Where the finder of a dog keeps the dog by virtue of this section he must keep it for not less than one month. In Scotland a person who keeps a dog by virtue of this section for a period of two months without its being claimed by the person who has right to it shall at the end of that period become the owner of the dog. If the finder of a dog fails to comply with the requirements of subsection (1) or (3) above he shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale. The Secretary of State may, by regulations, prescribe the procedure to be followed under subsection (2)(a) above. In this section “ local authority ” and “ officer ” have the same meaning as in section 149 above.
Text in force at .
Source: legislation.gov.uk — The National Archives (legislation.gov.uk), reproduced under licence Open Government Licence v3.0.
What it actually says
If you find a stray dog, you must either return it to its owner or take it to the officer of the local authority where you found the dog. You must also tell that officer where you found it.
If you want to keep the dog, you must tell the officer and give your name and address. The officer will follow any prescribed procedure (if any) and then let you take the dog. If you don't want to keep it, the officer treats it as a stray seized under section 149.
If you keep the dog, you must keep it for at least one month. In Scotland, if no one claims it within two months, you become the owner. If you fail to return the dog, take it to the officer, or keep it for the required time, you commit a summary offence and can be fined up to level 2 on the standard scale.
When it applies
- You find a stray dog on the street and decide to take it home without telling anyone.
- You find a stray dog, take it to the local council office, and tell them you want to keep it.
- You find a stray dog and return it to its owner yourself without involving the council.
- You find a dog, keep it for a few weeks, and then the owner tracks you down and demands it back.
What this section does not say
- What happens if you find a dog that is not stray (e.g., it has a collar with an owner's address) – the provision still applies if it is stray, but if it's clearly owned, different rules may apply.
- Your right to claim expenses or a reward for returning a stray dog – the provision does not address rewards.
- Procedures for the local authority officer after they seize a stray dog under section 149 – that is covered by section 149 itself.
- What happens if you hurt or kill a stray dog – that is covered by other laws, not this section.
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This page reproduces the text of EPA 1990 s. 150 in force at the date shown and explains it in general terms. It is not legal advice and takes no account of the circumstances of your case, which can change the answer completely. For a live dispute, for limitation periods, and before taking any step in court, consult a qualified lawyer in England and Wales.