Number of stray or abandoned dogs rockets in West Midlands town

Solihull Council has spent thousands caring for the rocketing number of stray dogs in the borough, new figures show. 

The figures have been released in a Freedom of Information request to the authority. The data, which covers the period between 2020 and 2025, also includes how many of those dogs were returned to their owners.  

Analysis of these figures show the number of stray or abandoned dogs reached a five year high of 85 last year.

And this continued a sharp rise in recent years as the figures show there were 13 in 2020, 14 in 2021, 16 in 2022, 48 in 2023 and 76 in 2024. 

The full figures reveal:

In 2020 29 dogs were seized, with 16 returned

In 2021 36 were seized with 22 returned

In 2022 23 were seized with 7 returned

In 2023 64 were seized with 16 returned

In 2024 93 were seized with 17 returned 

In 2025 105 were seized with 20 returned

The council has a legal duty to keep stray dogs for seven days and must cover the cost of this. A Solihull Council spokesperson said to meet this statutory duty the authority has a contract with Birmingham Dogs Home.

The contract details, published on the authority’s website, show the authority spent £50,000 entering into the 18th month contract. 

The contract began in March last year and is due to end this August.

Cost‑of‑living pressures as well as veterinary costs and pet insurance premiums rises have been blamed for a national rise in stray dogs in recent years.

Owners who can no longer care for your dog are urged to speak to animal rescue charities who can help find them a new home.

All dogs must be microchipped and registered by the time they are eight weeks old, and the government says failure to do so risks a fine for owners of up to £500.