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Dogs

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If you find an injured or sick animal, you can phone a local vet who will be able to provide advice.

If you wish to catch and transport the animal, a vet will also be able to advise you how to do this safely. See the link in Related Information to find a local vet.

For larger injured wildlife, phone the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999 and do not try to catch the animal yourself.

The following animals cannot be handled or transported by the public:

  • an injured deer
  • seal
  • wild boar
  • otter
  • badger
  • fox
  • snake
  • bird of prey (including owls)
  • swan
  • goose
  • heron
  • gull

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You could speak to your neighbour about the problem as they may not be aware it is happening.

Unless there is any evidence of the dog being mistreated then the SSPCA will not be able to help. The noise could be classed as a noise nuisance so you would need to report it to the Environmental Health department of your local authority.

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It is not advisable to force entry to the vehicle. Your first step should be to call the SSPCA on 03000 999 999 to inform them of the details, namely the condition of the dog, the registration number and the location of the car. They should despatch an inspector to deal with the situation. Depending on their availability it may be that they instruct you to contact Police Scotland by dialling 101 who will be able deal with the matter more quickly.

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Most dogs do return of their own free will and if not most are reunited with their owners after a short space of time. The local dog warden retains reports of lost and found dogs.

Stray dogs may still be handed into a police office and therefore you should contact Police Scotland by dialling 101 to ascertain if your dog has been handed in.

If your dog has not already been micro-chipped it might be something to consider.

See websites in related information for more help and advice.

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You should call the local dog warden. The local authority dog warden has a responsibility to collect all stray dogs that are found in a public place.

Stray dogs can also be taken to a police officer but not all of them have kennels so it would be worth enquiring with them before handing a dog in. This process is under review but this procedure is still ongoing.

The SSPCA will not go out and collect stray dogs.

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You should call the local dog warden. The local authority dog warden has a responsibility to collect all stray dogs that are found in a public place.

The SSPCA will not go out and collect stray dogs. Not all police offices have kennels so if handing a dog into an office, it would be best to call ahead and check which local office does have kennels.

See the website in Related Information to find your local dog warden.

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The best thing to do is to keep the animal indoors with the windows closed. Also try to keep the TV on or music playing to perhaps muffle the sound of the fireworks. Dogs have better hearing than humans do and for them fireworks are extremely loud and scary. There are some products that vets may be able to offer to help keep your dog calm.

If at all possible try and make sure someone is at home with the animal, as it will be comforting to have a familiar face around.

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You can report the incident to Police Scotland by dialling 101. There is an offence of having a dog dangerously out of control in a public place. The dog owner (or the person for the time being in charge of the dog) may be prosecuted and could face imprisonment and/or a fine and the courts can make a variety of orders in relation to the dog, which range from muzzling to destruction.

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As a tradesman you have implied permission to enter a property to carry out your job. If you are attacked by a dog whilst on the property then the dog could be said to be dangerous and out of control.

You need to report the incident to the police who will carry out an investigation. The courts have the power to order that the dog is kept under proper control or destroyed.

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If you witness cruelty to an animal then contact the SSPCA's 24 hour a day cruelty line on 03000 999 999. It is important to have ready the following details:

  • a description of the animal(s) involved;
  • the exact location of the animal(s);
  • the names and addresses of any other witnesses;
  • the registration number of any vehicle involved; and
  • the name and address of the suspect(s) if known.

The police also have powers to deal with cruelty to animals but the SSPCA are the experts in the field and are better equipped to deal with it.

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It is an offence not to clean up after a dog that has fouled. However, it is not the police's responsibility but that of the local authority. The maximum fine for this offence is £2500 or alternatively councils can issue a fixed penalty.

If you know someone who allows their dog to foul and fails to clean up after the dog, you should note the time and date of the offence and the details of the dog owner. You should then contact your local authority who will advise you how to proceed.

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No, the police do not have the resources to run courses for dog owners. However, the SSPCA may run courses and if not, they will have details of private individuals who run classes.

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Unfortunately most police forces do not provide this service as standard and if they did it may just be for a special event or occasion.
However any requests can be made via local policing teams or schools that have dedicated police officers.

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There are two types of police dogs, a general-purpose dog and a drugs dog.

 

The general-purpose dogs are mainly German Shepherds and some Belgian Shepherds. The drugs dogs are mainly Springer Spaniels. There are also explosives dogs, which are Border Collies and Spaniels. The best age for the dogs is between 12 months and 24 months.

 

Other breeds of dogs are used for other purposes and it is advisable to contact Police Scotland for further details:

Contact Us form | Police Scotland

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Some animals are not included in the definition of animal given in the Road Traffic Act 1988 so you are not required to report accidents with them to the police. However, it may be worth contacting the police to inform them of the incident. Additionally, the local authority will need to be contacted to remove the remains of the animal.
 
A dog (as well as a goat, horse, cattle, ass, mule, sheep and pig) does come within the remit of the Road Traffic Act and is a reportable accident, so you are required by law to report it to the police.
 
badgers are specially protected and it is an offence to possess one, dead or alive, (without the proper authority), so if you kill one, leave it at the roadside. If you are concerned, as stated above, you can voluntarily contact the police.

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This will depend on the exact circumstances of the incident. The following should be used as a guide only for possible scenarios as each case will be considered individually:

If you set your dog onto an intruder and the person suffers injury then you may face prosecution. The court could order the dog to be kept under control/destroyed (dangerous dog not under control).

  • If an intruder breaks in whilst you are out and is attacked by the dog then it is unlikely that you would face the need to defend a possible court order.

  • There is also civil liability to consider in any damage that your dog may cause. It should be noted that most dogs will simply bark at an intruder but will not follow with a physical attack.

There is an offence of a dog being dangerously out of control in any place, so if your dog attacks an intruder, or visitor to your home then you could face prosecution.

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Under the Dangerous Dogs Act, it is illegal to own/sell/breed/give away/exchange dogs of the following type:

 

  • Pit bull terrier type.
  • XL Bully type.
  • Japanese Tosa type.
  • Dogo Argentino type.
  • Fila Braziliero type.
  • Any other type of dog appearing to be or to have characteristics of the above type bred for fighting.

 

If it is alleged that a dog is of a type which is prohibited it is presumed to be the case until the owner proves to the contrary. The owner can do this at his/her own expense.

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You can contact Police Scotland by dialling 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 and report the information to them.

The police will then make any necessary enquiries and take appropriate action most likely in conjunction with the Dog Warden Service.

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If a dog has attacked a person or animal, it is a police matter and you should contact them directly. Call 101 (or 999 in emergencies only).

If the dog poses an immediate threat to the safety of the public then it can be lawfully ordered to be destroyed by the police or other responsible person (e.g. a vet/local authority). This power comes from the fact that a dog is classed as property and it is lawful to humanely destroy it, if it is causing immediate damage/danger to people, animals or property.

If the dog has been established as dangerous but does not pose an immediate threat to the public etc, the court can order its destruction (whether or not there has been a prosecution conviction of the owner/keeper) and the court can also disqualify its owner from owning a dog in the future.

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Yes, the law states that every dog whilst in a highway or public place has to wear a collar with the name of the owner on it. Failure to do so is an offence and could lead to your dog being seized and dealt with as a stray dog. There are exemptions but these apply to working dogs and not for domestic pets.

This is not a police matter; it is a matter for the local authority dog warden to enforce.

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If you have a dog, yes. Since 2016, dogs over 8 weeks old need to be microchipped by law.

The law means that:

• Any dog over 8 weeks old must be microchipped. Very small puppies or those with certain health problems can get a temporary exemption certificate from a vet, but still need to be microchipped when they are a bit bigger or healthier before it runs out.
• Owner details must be kept up-to-date and stored with an approved database company.
• Your dog must still wear a collar and tag with your contact details on when in public.
• If your dog is scanned by a dog warden and found not to have a microchip you'll have 21 days to get them microchipped. If you don't, you could face a fine of up to £500.

Please see the Related Information section for links to further information.

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