Dog Control
The Environmental Health section co-ordinate a comprehensive dog control service, ranging from dog licensing to responsible dog ownership education.
Dog Licensing
Where can you obtain a dog licence?
If you own a dog you must (with very few exceptions) have a dog licence. If you live within the Castlereagh Borough Council area you should obtain a licence from the Environmental Health Service. You can obtain it in person, or request an application form by post by telephoning 028 90494640.
The cost of a dog licence is £5.00 per annum or if you have more than three dogs and you meet certain criteria (contact the council for details) you may apply for a block licence costing £12.50. A breeder's licence is also available for breeding establishments. For anyone over the age of 65 and living alone there is an abated licence fee for the first dog licence and the normal price of a licence for a second dog. Dog licences are valid for one year and must be renewed annually.
What are the benefits?
A dog licence offers some proof of ownership but is not a document of title. It is however a legal requirement that anyone in possession of a dog must hold a valid licence. The details of the dog owner and the dog are registered with Castlereagh Borough Council and each owner is issued with a licence document and a licence disc which bears the dog's own personal identification number. This tag number will change annually on renewal of the licence and a new licence document and tag will be issued on the application to renew the licence.
Castlereagh Borough Council Enforcement Officers impound many stray dogs every year. Those stray dogs wearing a valid licence identification disc are more likely to be reunited with their owner. The identification number on the licence disc enables the officers to check the Council’s licensing records, trace and advise the owner of the dog's whereabouts and thus prevent the dog from being re-homed or unnecessarily destroyed.
When are you required to licence a dog?
Before taking possession of a dog or puppy, owners should ensure that they have already purchased a dog licence. If however, a puppy stays with its mother it must have a licence by the age of six months. If your dog dies and you have a valid licence for it, it is possible to transfer that licence should you obtain another dog within 30 days.
Is a dog licence transferable from one person to another?
No.
Penalties for not having a valid dog licence
If you keep a dog without a licence you can be issued with a fixed penalty of £25. Non payment of this could result in a fine in court of up to £200
Stray and Unwanted Dogs
Stray dogs
Any dog whether licensed or not which is off its own property and appears to be unaccompanied is treated as a stray dog and may be seized and impounded by the Council’s Enforcement Officers. Stray dogs cause various problems including indiscriminate fouling, damaging other peoples gardens and property, causing road traffic accidents and attacking people and livestock.
What becomes of a stray dog?
On finding a stray dog we will try to identify its owner. If the dog is wearing an identity tag or licence tag and the owner can be traced we may attempt to return the dog to its owner. If however dogs have no identification or are habitually let out to stray they will, with effect from Tuesday 1 June 2010, be taken to the dog pound at Lisburn City Council Depot, Altona Road, Lisburn where they will be held for a maximum period of six days, including the date of seizure. During this period the dog may be reclaimed by its owner on payment of the full reclaim fees due. If you have a valid dog licence and your dog was not wearing its licence tag at the time of seizure you should bring proof that it is licensed otherwise you may be asked to obtain a licence at the time of reclaiming the dog.
Reclaim fees vary from £20.00 on the first day, rising by £8.00 per day or part day to a maximum of £60.00 on the sixth day.
The dog pound at Lisburn City Council Depot, Altona Road, Lisburn is open to the public Monday to Friday between 12.30pm and 2.30pm to allow owners to reclaim stray dogs or for persons who may wish to view dogs for possible re-homing.In exceptional circumstances it may be possible to reclaim dogs outside these hours by special arrangement with Lisburn City Council staff. Please telephone Lisburn City Council on (028) 92509396 and they will see if it is possible to offer an alternative time. It should be remembered however that this might not be possible due to other operational commitments by the Dog Warden.
Please note that Lisburn City Council act only as the kennelling service provider for Castlereagh Borough Council. If you have any query regarding why your dog was seized and impounded, you should address this directly with Castlereagh Borough Council’s Environmental Health section on (028) 90494640.
Any dogs, which remain unclaimed after the statutory period may be assessed and sold for re-homing or passed on to a suitable animal charity for possible re-homing. Inevitably some dogs cannot be re-homed and will have to be humanely destroyed.
Unwanted dogs
The Council will at the request of an owner take away a dog, which is no longer wanted. This can be for various reasons including:
- Dogs being bought as presents for people who are not fully committed dog owners
- Parents buying their children a puppy but the child soon loses interest and the parents do not want the responsibility for looking after it
- A particular breed is bought without prior research into its characteristics. Care problems then arise when the dog becomes too much of a handful and the owner no longer feels able to cope with the dog
- The dog develops behavioural problems which the owner cannot correct
- The dog is becoming aggressive or has bitten a family member or someone else
- The dog no longer fits in with the owner's lifestyle and they simply cannot be bothered looking after it.
Unwanted dogs are taken directly to the dog pound to be assessed by kennel staff for possible re-homing but here again many dogs for various reasons will not be able to be re-homed and will have to be humanely destroyed.
Castlereagh Borough Council charges a fee of £10.00 to remove an unwanted dog and the owner must sign an unwanted dog form relinquishing all future claims to the dog before it can be taken away by the Council.
Dog Fouling
Under the Litter Order (N.I.) 1994 it is illegal for anyone in charge of a dog not to clean up after the animal if it fouls in a public place and in some cases this may also apply to private land.
Punishment
If detected allowing your dog to foul without cleaning up the owner (or the person in charge of the dog at the time) may be issued with a fixed penalty fine of £50. The owner (or person in charge of the dog) then has the choice of paying the fixed penalty fine or going to court. If convicted of the offence in court the person in charge of the dog at the time of the offence could then be subject to a maximum penalty of £500 plus court costs.
HELP KEEP CASTLEREAGH CLEAN
REMEMBER
SCOOP IT, BAG IT, BIN IT
IF PROPERLY SECURED YOU CAN DISPOSE OF YOUR POOP-SCOOP IN ANY BIN IF YOU CAN'T FIND A LITTER BIN THEN BRING IT HOME AND PUT IT IN YOUR OWN DOMESTIC WASTE BIN
Contact InformationIf you require any information regarding dog licensing or on any aspect of dog control you should contact the Environmental Health section at Castlereagh Borough Council. Similarly if you are experiencing problems due to irresponsible dog owners and you wish to make a complaint, our Enforcement Officers will investigate your complaint and try to resolve the issue.
You can write to us at:
Castlereagh Borough Council
Environmental Health
Civic & Administration Offices
Bradford Court
Upper Galwally
Castlereagh
BT8 6RB
Or ring the Council Offices on
Tel: (028) 90494500
Or email us at
environmentalhealth@castlereagh.gov.uk
YOU DON'T HAVE TO PUT UP WITH IRRESPONSIBLE DOG OWNERS
GIVE US A CALL – WE'RE HERE TO HELP
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