Dog Warden

Ribble Valley Borough Council's Dog Warden can be contacted on 01200 425111 during 8.45am - 5.00pm Monday to Friday. A stray dog can be reported outside these hours by contacting 01200 444448.

Report a Dog Problem

We investigate the following:

• Stray dogs
• Lost dogs
• Dog fouling
• Aggressive dogs
• Dogs not on a lead
• Dog barking

Please note we do not investigate issues surrounding banned dogs or dog crueltyas these are police issues.

Collection of stray dogs

The Dog Wardens undertake both routine patrols and respond to complaints of roaming dogs.

Where a dog has a collar and tag (or is micro chipped) the animal will be returned to the owner on the first occasion and a charge will be made. If the same dog is found again it will automatically be taken to kennels.

Any dog without an identity tag will automatically be taken to kennels.

Fees and Charges

To recover a dog from kennels both a fine and incurred kennelling fees per day will be charged before the dog can be reclaimed.

After seven days, the dog becomes the property of the Council.

If you lose a dog, please notify the local police station and the dog warden service 01200 425111 as quickly as possible.

We keep a record of all dogs that are reported and reunite them with their owner where possible.

If you think that we may have collected your dog contact us or during office hours.

Dog fouling

Dog faeces (poo) may contain worms which can cause serious eye disorders in children and adults. Regular worming can help reduce the likelihood of worms in faeces.

Dog fouling is probably the most unacceptable and offensive type of litter on our streets.

Where a dog owner does not pick up and dispose of their dog's faeces the Council will consider prosecuting them. In some cases the Council may offer a Fixed Penalty Notice to the offender. This requires a payment of a fine.

Failure to pay the penalty will result in the Council bringing a prosecution and the offender may be fined up to £1,000 in Court.

Sick and injured dogs

We cannot help with sick and injured dogs. If you find a sick or injured dog or know of an animal in distress please report it to the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.

Public Space Protection Order (PSPO)

Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOS) came into force on 20 October 2017. For more information see PSPO's.

Pet Safe Scheme

The Pet Safe Scheme has been developed as a way of making sure your pets can be cared for in case of an emergency.

It was set up after problems arose with people who lived alone being rushed into hospital leaving no-one to care for their animals.  Being rushed into hospital is distressing enough without the added worry of who will look after your animals whilst you are not at home.

Simple print off the Pet Safe Form, fill in your details and leave it somewhere prominent eg stuck to the fridge door.  That way, there’ll be an emergency contact readily available and the care of your pets will be passed to the right person.

Make sure the person you’ve listed as your emergency contact known they are on the form and keep the form up to date.