Number of homeless Dudley dogs falls

New figures show the number of lost and abandoned dogs in 2015/16 was 268. That is down from 337 in 2014/15 and 522 in 2013/14.

The statistics come as new micro-chipping laws have come into force for pet owners in England, Scotland and Wales.

Figures for the calendar year 2015 show 42 dogs found by the council were put down.

Council bosses hope the new micro-chipping laws that have come into effect will more dogs be re-united with their owners in the future.

Nick Powell, head of environmental health and trading standards said: "We are glad to see this significant decrease in the number of stray dogs in the borough.

"As a council we have always encouraged responsible dog ownership and for owners to identify their dog with a suitable tag as well as having their pet microchipped to increase the likelihood of dogs being returned to their owners."

Karen Jackson, acting chief officer for health and well-being, said: "Micro-chipping makes it far easier for the council's stray dog service to achieve the best outcome and reunite owners with their lost dogs and as of today it will become compulsory for all dogs over the age of eight weeks to be fitted with a microchip.

"Humane euthanasia is always a last resort and only takes place in exceptional circumstances when a dog is suffering from an incurable illness, been seriously injured or is too aggressive to be re-homed."

All dogs are now legally required to be micro-chipped once they reached the age of eight weeks old.

Dog owners who have not microchipped their pets could face a fine of up to £500.

It has been estimated by the government one million dogs in the country, around one in eight, have not yet been chipped.

Owners have up to 21 days to reclaim their dog from local authorities if found without a micro-chip before being fined.

The figure for Dudley compared smaller to Sandwell.

Around 800 stray dogs were taken off the streets in the borough in 2014 and 2015.

Of those, 200 were put to sleep.

The Express & Star reported more than 100 so-called 'status' dogs are being destroyed every year in Wolverhampton.

The number of stray dogs found by Wolverhampton council fell in the last three years, but the number of potentially dangerous dogs has risen.

Nationally around 20 per cent of strays are classed as status dogs but in Wolverhampton it has been as high as 75 per cent.