Straying dogs

A stray dog is one that wanders outside its property, on to highways or public land, without its owner.

If you see a stray dog, it's likely that it has escaped from its garden and lives nearby. Check the dog's collar for a tag with the owner's information. You could then contact the owner to arrange for them to collect their dog from you.

Community websites and social media can reconnect the dog with its owner quickly through neighbourhood networking and local knowledge, so please try to find the owner using these means. It can be helpful to take a picture of the dog and share it locally, along with its location details.

If this is unsuccessful, you should secure the dog and report it to us. We'll arrange for the dog to be collected from you and taken to Manchester Dogs Home between 9am and 3pm.

You can:

If you find a dog roaming after 4pm, or during the weekend or bank holidays, we ask that you take the dog to your home and retain it over night until our dog warden can collect it from you the next working day.

Manchester Dogs Home

Alternatively, between 9am and 5pm, you can take the dog directly to Manchester Dogs Home. Please call before you start the journey to be sure that they have a kennel available and that they're open to accept the dog.

The contact details are:

Manchester Dogs Home
Crofter's House
Moss Brook Road
Harpurhey
Manchester
M9 5PG

Phone: 0161 205 0347

If you find a dog roaming on Saturday or Sunday, or during bank holidays between 9am and midday, you can take the dog directly to Manchester Dogs Home and they'll kennel it and attempt to contact the dog’s owner. They'll also advise us of this so that we can try to reunite the dog with its owner.

Woodcroft Hospital

If you are not able to take the dog to Manchester Dogs Home, you may take it to Woodcroft Hospital after 5pm, any day of the week. Woodcroft have very kindly agreed to take in straying dogs found within the Stockport area only. The dog will be scanned to find the microchip in order to advise the owner that their dog has been found, so that they can collect it from them. Woodcroft will then advise us so that we can collect the dog if necessary and take it to Manchester Dogs Home to await contact from it’s owner.

The contact details are:

Woodcroft Hospital
Hercules Office Park
Bird Hall Lane
Cheadle Heath
SK3 0UX

Phone: 0161 486 2333

Aggressive or anxious stray dogs

If you see a stray dog that appears anxious or aggressive, call the police on 101.