Lost, Stolen & Found Dogs
We hope that you are never in a situation where your dog has been lost or stolen. If this ever happens, below is some guidance to help you retrieve your dog back safely.
Lost or Stolen Dogs
1. Contact the local Police station. A member of the public may have picked up the dog but has been unsure what to do so has handed it in to a Police station. The Police will contact the local council dog warden.
The telephone number for Lothian and Borders Police is 0131 311 3131
or call the 101 Non-Emergency Number to be put through to your local police station. More info on the 101 number is here.
2. Contact the local council Dog Warden Service. The local Council are responsible for found dogs and if the warden hasn’t picked up your dog they may been made aware of a sighting of an unaccompanied dog by a member of the public.
The number for Edinburgh Dog Warden Service (Mortonhall) is 0131 529 3030.
All other dog warden phone numbers can be found on this page:
3. In Edinburgh, all stray dogs are taken to the Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home (EDCH). However, if the dog is injured it may be taken to the PDSA first. If you live in the Edinburgh area contact the EDCH. If your dog hasn’t been handed in leave a description or photograph. Check back regularly.
Edinburgh Dog and Cat Home – Tel: 0131 669 5331 Website
If you are outside Edinburgh then contact the local dog rescue centre:
SSPCA Website
Dogs Trust Rehoming Centres – Website
4. Contact any Vets in the area.
5. Register your missing dog on www.doglost.co.uk and the Scottish site www.LostDogs-Scotland.org.uk
They will be able to give you free advice and support and can create a missing dog poster that you and others can print off. The poster is then sent to all helpers within a 30 mile radius of where the dog went missing.
6. Post a photo on our facebook page or send to us via twitter with details of where it went missing and a contact telephone number. We will share the photo and info for you. Using social networking is a powerful way of spreading the word quickly and its likely that someone will recognise the dog or people will keep a lookout or help with the search. If a post on our facebook page is shared 500 to 1,500 times it could mean up to 60,000 to 100,000 facebook users see the photo and details. Also post details on as many dog related facebook pages as you can find. You can also send the photo and info to the below on twitter and ask for a retweet to their followers:
@DoglostUK
@MissingPetsGB
Edinburgh twitter accounts:
@EdinSpotlight
@on_lothianbuses
@edinburghpaper
Our twitter is @dugsnpubs
Found Dogs:
If you have found a dog you must phone the Local Authority Dog Warden or your local police station straight away to report the dog (see numbers above). Also check for contact details on the collar id.
Preventative measures
– MOST IMPORTANT – Ensure your dog is microchipped and that all your contact details are up to date with the microchip company. Some rehoming centres such as the Edinburgh Dog and Cat home and Dogs Trust offer to microchip your dog for free so please take them up on that offer if your dog doesn’t have a chip.
– Do not put your dogs name on the collar id but instead put your own contact details.
– Attach a GPS tracker to your dog to help locate it if it ever runs off (however would not help in a situation where a dog was stolen) More info on GPS trackers: PawTrax and also Retrieva.
– NEVER leave your dog unattended tied up outside a shop, pub or cafe.
– NEVER leave your dog unattended in a car.
– Do not walk your dog off lead especially if in an area you don’t know. Even dogs with excellent recall can get startled and run off. Only exercise your dog in areas that are enclosed or you can easily catch them.
– Always know where your dog is and keep an eye on your dog even if just out in the garden. It may manage to get out over a fence or there is also the possibility that it may be stolen.
