Yesterday, my friend called me to tell me there was a dog in her garden and was wondering what to do. It was very frightened and she was having trouble catching it.

I gave her the doglost number and set off upto hers to help her catch the poor little mite.

When I got there she'd caught her and we popped her in the car while we decided what to do as she had no tag. Obviously, we would've got her scanned at a vets but it was Sunday so we called the police.

The police don't deal with lost and found dogs - I was told to contact the out of hours dog warden.
I did so, and told the dog warden I didn't particularly want to hand her over but could he tell me if anyone had reported a dog missing - no. Dog wardens don't have details of missing dogs, they just go and collect found dogs.
I was told 'just take it to the council kennels and they'll scan it and keep it in until it's claimed.

No way. I wasn't going to take this tiny, scared little thing into a kennel environment anyway, but what about the owners who would then have to pay £60 to get her back, and she might have been chipped all along. She'd not been seen before so probably not a dog just allowed to roam.

So, we set off to the PDSA. Knowing it's a hospital, I knew there'd be staff on site and even if they weren't open someone would be there. When I got there I buzzed the intercom and explained that I knew they were closed but could they just scan a dog for a chip. She let me in and told me she didn't see the point as petlog wouldn't give me the owner's details anyway :confused:
I said, 'well no - but they'd give them to you', still she ummed and ahhed, so I told her that when I worked in a vet I had an animal brought in, I scanned it, phoned petlog, got the owner's details and then contacted the owner's details to give them the details of the people who found their pet so they could be reunited.
At this point, she agreed to scan the dog for a chip :rolleyes:

We took the dog in, she was scanned and (after she then realised the scanner wasn't switched on, and rectified the problem) a chip was found!

But they wouldn't even try to phone petlog to see if the phonelines were open so I said I'd take her home and take her to my vets in the morning - at least now I know she's chipped so it's not like I'd have her indefinitely.

We decided she might be better off at my friend's house for the night and I'd pick her up to take her to the vets in the morning - when we got there, we heard someone calling and whistling at the back of the woods behind my friend's garden. Little dog was going mad at the end of the lead so we walked her around the block to where the sound was coming from.

It turns out she only lived one road away and she'd got into the woods from her own garden and then out the other side onto my friend's garden!

So a very happy ending all round - her owner explained she'd just had a bath and changed her collar which was why there was no tag and they were so pleased to see her - I was appalled at the attitude of the people we tried for help though.

My friend really didn't want to just leave the dog to find her way back - she lives on a main road which is busy even on a Sunday - I felt she did exactly the right thing by catching the dog - we weren't to know she only lived up the next road and yet, those who are supposed to be there to help these animals (particularly a charity like the PDSA) were so reluctant to help - what if it had been someone who wasn't quite so determined to get it sorted? She'd have ended up in council kennels and her owners would've had to pay £60 to get her back when it was a genuine accident. Not to mention, taking up kennel space that may have been needed for a real stray!!

Things really need to be improved when it comes to lost dogs :(

Hi Lottie, well done. I think you did the right thing.
When I found a dog wandering I cought it and took it straight to Peak Vets for scanning. They were brilliant and rang the pet log people up to get the owners details. Dog and owner were soon reunited.

Peak vets do open on Sundays but only 11 till 1 ( I think)

Thanks Helen,

I think this was between 11 and 1 although I can't remember, but I thought PDSA would be better for me as they're closer :rolleyes: Won't make that mistake again! :lol:

It's a poor situation when supposed "animal people" aren't willing to help, and would happily chuck them in the pound isn't it? Well done for persevering Lotti

We have also found the PDSA very 'unhelpful' several times in the past and will have nothing more to do with them because of it. Yet they still claim they are a caring organisation for animals - hrrrmmmmph!!!!!!!!!
Glad you were able to reunite the little dog with it's owners :)

The only place we found help when we were in a funny situation was Peak Vets !!!

aww well done lotti! It couldve been a sory situation for this dog and her owner otherwise. I'm disgusted that all these agencies don't care to get involved to resolve something so easily. I did a microchipping course back in May but couldnt afford to buy a chip reader - it's on my list to get one - even if I never chip another animal, it would be handy to have one to double check any rescues that come along.

As part of the course, you could opt to act as a chip reader in case a stray animal is found in your area - and if I'd got the cash to buy the scanner, I would register.
I think some of our fellow forummers are registered to chip and may also have readers- would be useful to know who for future, as just knowing an animal is chipped may mean the difference between looking after them overnight until the a friendly vets is open, or not.

Thanks katkin :)

Yes, that's why we decided we were able to take her back for the night, knowing we'd find her owner in the morning. I couldn't have taken her indefinitely (as it happened it wasn't needed anyway).

I'm now looking at getting a scanner through the company as I work with animals, I may as well have one - even if I only ever reunite one pet using it - it'd be worth it!

I always have one if ever anyone needs to get a chip checked.
just a case of catching me around though - but the offers there.

What can I say on this one - the whole thing about stray dogs is something that just gets brushed under the carpet - nobody cares - until its their dog that goes missing - and even then - just until their dog is found.

The whole thing should be sorted out - these are our treasured possesions - I would be frantic if mine were missing - and even though they are chipped - i would be worried that someones chip reader didn't find me.

The more raising there is about this issue - the better i think.

Why does such a simple task in theory turn into a huge farse? You found the dog and you cared enough to try and trace the owner, can't understand why dog warden etc could'nt help.

Maybe we should start a fail safe scheme in Sheffield / South Yorkshire to make the task quicker?

Not great! I suppose you might have been able to get pdsa to give you the unique number from the chip. Then you could have rung petlog yourself.

No they wouldn't have given it. They weren't happy about scanning the dog, they certainly wouldn't have given me the chip number.

I agree - we need action on this point!

Why the heck is the council not running a lost dog register?
Are they not interested in reuniting lost pets with their owners?
Wouldn't this save one heck of a lot of stress to council tax paying owners?

How many other departments in the council have the authority to take money off people in this fashion?

And btw... £60? Isn't it more since I first wrote the info on the lost dog sticky?


I think we need to kick up a fuss - EVERY dog owner here, and any friends you have with dogs too. The council needs to be accountable for the 'services' they do or don't provide. As we see here on a regular basis, what they are picking up as a 'stray' dog, is pretty likely to be a beloved lost pet rather than a dumped mutt

right - wrt petlog...

as far as I know, it is the responsibility of the chip company to contact their 'client' when a dog is found, so I've no flaming idea why the PDSA were being so ignorant about it all :mad:

I have taken a dog to a vets before to be scanned, and they have been more than happy to furnish me with the contact details for the dog's owner, after they had been given the phone number by the chip company, but had no reply when they tried it. I've no idea whether this contravenes the data protection act or not

Does anybody have their chip contract to hand to tell us what the small print says about handing your phone number out to whoever has your dog/cat/ferret/rabbit?

.... I was told to contact the out of hours dog warden.
I did so, and told the dog warden I didn't particularly want to hand her over but could he tell me if anyone had reported a dog missing - no. Dog wardens don't have details of missing dogs, they just go and collect found dogs.
I was told 'just take it to the council kennels and they'll scan it and keep it in until it's claimed.
Right - you'll find this interesting then:
http://www.opsi.gov.uk/si/si1992/Uksi_19920288_en_1.htm

The council should have a register where they can log found dogs which members of the public do not wish to hand over to them - they are required to hold certain details pertaining to these dogs by law

I'd also be VERY interested to know how the Sheffield reclaiming fee breaks down, as the act states that a fee of £25 will apply - plus costs incurred. Now if a member of the public takes a dog to the pound, there is no expense to the wardens in collection, and if a dog is reclaimed the same day, will they even have been fed?

maybe there is a gap somewhere for a team of people to set up an out of hours team.

Can you elaborate on that vikki?

any idea how the finances would work? as the council aren't going to pay for out of hours cover if they don't have to

right - wrt petlog...

as far as I know, it is the responsibility of the chip company to contact their 'client' when a dog is found, so I've no flaming idea why the PDSA were being so ignorant about it all :mad:

?

when I did the petlog course, I was told same - they would not give an individual's details out, for obvious reasons, but at least they would contact that individual, or the person or agency who originally chipped the animal, so that she or he could contact the person - that's why people who are registered to chip are told to keep a copy of the paperwork they submit to petlog

If you find an animal and are willing to hold onto it yourself overnight or longer, it is probably as easy to register the animal's details with the RSPCA website, as they have been quick to contact me when I did that with a found cat that someone else had registered as lost

So here we go again - we're told one thing and it turns out to be full of holes!

If the council and the RSPCA got their heads together we could have a proper system - so every owner who's lost a pet and everybody who finds one is given the same info and procedure to follow - or would that be too easy? :rant:

I have a scanner and also microchip animals. Many implanters dont have access to the Petlog database as a "finder", they are only able to register an animal.

I have both, being involved in rescue so am able to register and enquire on the petlog database. Maybe the PDSA dont have enquiry access? One thing I do know is that unless you are a registered with Petlog as a finder you wont get any info out of them without a pincode. It is to protect the owner and their personal info which isnt a bad thing for the owner, but maybe it is for the dog. Vets are able to register as finders, so I dont know why the PDSA arnt if that is the case. As an implanter and finder I am unable to give out information to a member of the public. I can and will though contact the owner to tell them the whereabouts of their dog.

If ever you are stuck then my scanner is available and also I can find out who the owner is.

whereabouts are you Gemima? just in case we ever need to know

Gemima, when I worked at the vets and I called Petlog to find the ID of an animal, all I had to do was give them our implanter code and they gave me all their details :confused:

Thats it Lotti, you need to have an implanter code.

I am near Dinnington Strix

well done you for helping this poor soul, its so hard though to help when there are so many barriers, glad you stuck at it, and im sure the owners were so happy. annax

It's a poor situation when supposed "animal people" aren't willing to help, and would happily chuck them in the pound isn't it? Well done for persevering Lotti


thats what the pound is there for to reunite owners!

i ad a dog once what was chipped reported it to the police ect turns out somebody had found her and reported her found so off i went to look at this dog, honestly she iddnt look like mine she was sooooooooooooooooooooo sick and looked so weak, anyway i said i was going to take her home but the bloke wouldent let me as he had took it to a vet and it wasent chipped but mine was, but she was double of my dog ect, i swore it wa her, so eway bit fight wi police over phone who refused to help, eventualy after persuading the bloke i got him to pdsa n guess wat !was my dog, i went bk to the vets he took her to and turned out the batteries in there scanner wasent working, so if i hadent reported it to police he wud av just kept her n i would have never seen her again, so scanners arnt all there cracked up to be