Responsible animal ownership

It’s our job to make sure people in Ryedale look after their animals responsibly.

What do we do?

• Investigate complaints about dog fouling, stray dogs and barking dogs
• Provide dog fouling information 
• Help other organisations (like the RSPCA and the Police) with animal welfare issues
• Pet identification

Animals have the right to basic freedoms

All animals have the right to enjoy five basic freedoms:

We licence pet shops in Ryedale. If you buy a pet from a pet shop, they must give you pet care advice. 

• Freedom from fear and distress
• Freedom from hunger and thirst
• Freedom from discomfort
• Freedom from pain, injury and disease
• Freedom to express normal behaviour

The RSPCA website has up-to-date guidance on caring for pets, farm animals and wildlife.

Pet care advice

You can also get pet care advice from: 

• The Animal Welfare Foundation
• RSPCA
• Blue Cross
• PDSA
• Dogs Trust 

Dog fouling

• You are responsible for your dog and must clear up its mess. Failure to do so could lead to enforcement action being taken, including fines. 
• A number of agencies and persons are able to take enforcement action including: Ryedale District Council, Police Officers and Police Community Support Officers.
• Dog waste bins are usually the property of town/parish councils. It is our responsibility to empty them.
• Concerns regarding dog fouling should be reported to civilenforcement@ryedale.gov.uk

Stray dogs

Any dog found wandering alone in a public place is deemed a stray and will be dealt with under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005.

Unless you know who the owner is, all stray dogs must be reported to Ryedale District Council.

Stray dogs will only be collected if they have been confined. All stray dogs will be checked for identification and returned to the correct registered owner whenever possible. There is a cost for this service – please see below.

By law, all dogs should be microchipped. When in a public place they should wear a collar and tag with the owner’s name and contact details. If the registered keeper cannot be contacted from the details on the microchip, collar and tag, the dog will be cared for at a licenced holding kennels for seven days. If the dog has not been claimed after seven days, it will be rehomed. Dogs are only put to sleep where it is veterinary advised to relieve suffering, or if the dog is professionally deemed unsuitable for rehoming due to temperament. These situations are rare.

Before a kennelled dog can be returned to its owner, all fees must be paid in full (see below).

Please note:

• It is a criminal offence not to report a stray dog to us
• We can only collect a stray dog that is confined, for example under the control of the finder
• We can only deal with dogs found in the boundaries of Ryedale of District Council. If the dog is found outside of the area, you must report it to the relevant local authority where it was found
• The Police no longer have any responsibility to accept stray dogs
• Animal rescue centres cannot accept stray dogs directly off the streets

I’ve lost my dog. What can I do?

If you lose your dog during normal working hours:

• Contact any local vet to find out if anyone has handed it in or reported it as a stray dog
• Contact your microchip company. They will send out an alert to your local vets
• Register your dog on missing pets websites such as Pets Located
• Contact us on 01653 600666. Make sure you give a full description of the dog and where it was last seen. If someone finds your dog and lets us know, we will put them in touch with you

If you lose your dog outside normal working hours, please telephone:

• The Ryecare Service on 01653 697737. They will pass the details on to the Community Team the next working day.

I have found a dog

• If you find a dog between 9am and 5pm please report it by calling 01653 600666
• If you find a stray dog outside of these hours please report it by contacting the Ryecare Service on 01653 697737. Stray dogs can be collected up until 9pm, past this time, you can hold onto the dog until the next working day (until we collect it from you).

Does my dog need to wear a collar?

All dog owners have a legal obligation to provide their pet with a collar and ID tag that identifies their pet with the owner’s name and address.Your dog must wear a collar and tag when in a public place, even if they are microchipped. An owner can be fined up to £5,000 if the dog is not wearing identification. 

Dogs exempt from wearing a collar and ID in public include: dogs on official duty for the armed forces, HM Customs and Excise or Police, sport dogs and packs of hounds, dogs used for capturing or destroying vermin, dogs used for driving/tending cattle or sheep, guide dogs for the blind and dogs used for emergency rescue work.

Neutering

Getting your dog spayed or neutered helps to prevent unwanted puppies. It can also help to reduce aggression in some dogs. 

• Neutering/spaying is carried out by most vets 
• It is a simple operation and is done under a general anaesthetic
• Bitches are ‘spayed’, to remove the womb and the ovaries 
• Male dogs are castrated to remove the testicles 
• The Dogs Trust may be able to help you pay for neutering or spaying

Dangerous dogs

The police deal with dangerous dogs. If you have a dangerous dog, you must keep it under control in all public places. You must also keep it under control on your own private property if other people access your land. 

It is illegal to allow a dangerous dog to:

• Be out of control in a public place
• Enter a private property and injure another person

Which breeds are dangerous dogs?

• Pit bull terriers 
• Japanese tosas
• Dogo Argentino
• Fila Braziliero

A dog does not have to bite someone to be seen as dangerous. If you are convicted you can face a fine up to £5,000 and/or 2 years in prison. Your dog may also be put down. 

Managing your dog

• Make sure your dog is familiar with people and other animals from a young age
• Don’t encourage your dog to bite, even in play, or to guard you or your property aggressively
• Train your dog well and keep it under control 
• Use a muzzle and a lead if you are worried about your dog. Some dogs are good with people but not with other dogs
• Always be careful.  Your dog may bite if you try to separate it when it’s fighting 
• Report any dogs that you feel may be dangerous to the local Police
• Report a dog biting incident to your local Police immediately

For more advice please contact North Yorkshire Police.

I want to report barking dogs

If you want to complain about barking or noisy dogs, contact our Community Team.

• Our officer will contact you to discuss your complaint
• With your agreement, the Officer will make contact with the owner of the dog and offer advice on preventing or minimising the noise
• If the problem continues, we will ask you to keep a diary of the dates and times when dogs are barking and how the noise affects you
• If the complaint needs further investigation, one of our Environmental Health Officers will take over 

How do I report a dead animal?

• We collect dead animals from the roads and footpaths throughout Ryedale .
• If you notice an animal that needs to be collected please submit an Enquiry Form or telephone 01653 600666.
• All livestock carcases must be disposed of at Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) approved premise.
• More information about the disposal of fallen stock is available on North Yorkshire County Council website.

If we are asked to remove a dog or cat that has been killed on the road, we always scan them for microchips so we can get in touch with their owners.

Can I bury my pet in my garden?

Yes. Please make sure that your pet’s body is buried at least 1.25m deep and well away from ponds, streams, wells, underground pipes and cables.