FI15438

Request

Under the FOI Act 2000 we would like to request the following information: 

During the years: 

January 2020 - December 2020    

January 2021 - December 2021 

January 2022 - December 2022

January 2023 - December 2023

January 2024 - To Current Date  

1. How many dogs/cats entered your local authority pounds (also known as kennels or animal shelters) in your area? 

2. How many of these dogs/cats were euthanised? 

3. For each dog/cat that was euthanised can you provide the breed, age, gender, microchip status and reason for euthanasia?  

4. How many were reclaimed by their owners? 

5. A) How many were passed to a welfare organisation. 

B) What checks do you make on the welfare organisation prior to sending dogs to rescue? 

C) What is the criteria for being an accepted as a local authority welfare organisation? 

6. In relation to question 5 How many dogs and cats were subsequently rehomed and how many were euthanised at the rescue/rehoming/kennel facility?  

7 What is the amount of money spent euthanising dogs during the dates stated above? 

8 What is the amount of money spent on vets fees, not including euthanasia during the dates stated above?  

9 Please supply figures for the number of dogs seized as a banned breed type under the Dangerous Dogs Act during the dates stated above. Please provide breed details, gender, age, microchip status and reason for euthanasia. 

10 In relation to question 9 how many dogs were euthanised, how many were returned to their owners, new homes or rescue organisations/sanctuaries.  

11 What is the amount of money spent on the boarding of banned breed dogs and associated veterinary costs including euthanasia? 

12 Please provide full details of your contracts for the management of "stray" animals, including key performance indicators and the amounts paid under this contract. Please provide full disclosure of euthanasia records. This will include but not limited to: 

Number of dogs/cats collected,

Number of dogs/cats reunited within 24 hours, 

Number of dogs/cats reunited after 24 hours and before 7 clear days,

Number of dogs/cats re-homed,

Number of dogs/cats euthanised including: 

Breed, Sex, Microchip Number, Age, Reason for Euthanasia, How body disposed. 

13 Please include and specify full details of dogs surrendered, rehomed or euthanised via the RSPCA, vet practices and local police authorities. 

In addition we request a breakdown on the disposal of animals euthanised during the above years into categories and descriptions including but not limited to: 

Individual cremation 

Communal cremation 

Individual burial 

Communal burial 

Carcasses donated and to whom 

Carcasses sold and to whom and payments made 

Since 10 June 2024 it has been a legal requirement to microchip cats. We request the following information: 

Do you provide cats with the same 7 day holding period as dogs to give time for owners to be located?  

On completion of a 7 day holding period does the cat become the property of the local authority? 

How do you proceed with rehoming?  

If no holding period or facility is available please provide answers to the questions below: 

Why?

What happens to microchipped and non microchipped cats who are believed to be strays? 

Do local vet practices contact you for stray facilities?  

What is your policy relating to deceased cats? Please provide details of scanning microchips, logging information, reunification procedures and disposal methods. 

Response

1. 2023 - 30 stray dogs and 2024 – 46 stray dogs

2. 2023 - 0 and 2024 - 7

3. As follows:

• Pitbull Type - Adult, Female - No Chip - Unable to rehome as believed to be banned breed
• Jack Russell – Adult, Male -Chipped - Not safe to rehome
• XL Bully – Adult, Male – Microchipped - Unable to rehome as believed to be banned breed
• Chow Chow – Adult - No Microchip - Not safe to rehome
• Crossbreed- Adult, Male - No Chip - Not safe to rehome
• Terrier Cross – Adult, Female – Chipped - Health conditions
• XL Bully- Adult, Male - Chipped - Unable to rehome as believed to be a banned breed

4. 2023 - 9 dogs and 2024 - 27 dogs

5. The Council does not hold this information as our agreement with our kennelling contractor means that any stray dog that goes unclaimed becomes the property of the contractor after 7 days.

6. The Council does not hold this information as our agreement with our kennelling contractor means that any stray dog that goes unclaimed becomes the property of the contractor after 7 days. However, we were billed for 3 dogs to be euthanised during 2024 and informed that 4 other dogs were euthanised for the reasons outlined in question 3.

7. 2023 - £0.00 and 2024 - £810.00

8. 2023 - £641.90 and 2024 - £887.00

9. The Council only seized stray dogs under the powers outlined in the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Kent Police are the responsible authority to formally identify and seize banned breeds under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

10. No dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

11. No dogs were seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act.

12. We have an in-house stray dog collection service. Please see below stats detailing all stray dog reports (not just those entering kennels): 

• 2023:
  • 51 stray dogs were seized by our dog warden service
  • 9 were reunited with their owners
  • 30 dogs were passed for rehoming by our stray dog kennels as were not claimed within 7 days
• 2024:
  • 52 stray dogs were seized by our dog warden service
  • 27 dogs were returned to their owners
  • 25 dogs were passed for rehoming by our stray dog kennels as were not claimed within 7 days. (7 of these were put to sleep by our stray dog kennels)

13. The Council does not hold this information.

14. The Council does not hold this information.

15. The Council does not provide a stray cat service and therefore does not hold this information.

16. The Council does not provide a stray cat service and therefore does not hold this information.

17. The Council does not provide a stray cat service and therefore does not hold this information.

18. The Council does not provide a stray cat service and therefore does not hold this information.

19. Deceased cats found by our Street Cleansing contractor are checked for a microchip. Should a microchip be identified, the owner will be contacted to notify them of their cats passing and to give them the opportunity to be reunited with their pet should they wish.