The Animal Welfare Officer can help you if you lose your dog or cat. We aim to help prevent stray dogs and cats from being a danger in traffic or a nuisance to people.
Stray dogs
According to the law, a dog is straying if it is unsupervised in any public place or any private area without the owner's consent.
If you allow your dog to stray, you may find that it has been picked up by our service. You may also be fined.
Reporting stray dogs
If you have a problem with a stray dog in your area you can contact us using the details below. We will try to collect the dog, where possible.
If you find a stray dog between 8.30am – 4.30pm Monday – Friday, call the Animal Welfare Service on 020 8314 2098. Outside of these hours please contact Lewisham Council on 020 8314 6000 and they will redirect you for assistance.
We will keep a stray dog for two days. If the owner does not come forward then we will take it to Battersea Dogs and Cats Home (follow the link on the right).
If you see a dangerous dog please contact the police
Stray cats
In the eyes of the law there is no definition of a stray cat.
Before we remove a stray cat we need to establish whether the cat is a stray or just an opportunist feeder.
Reporting stray cats
If you believe you have a stray cat please call us using the details below.
If a cat appears to be healthy and well cared for, we will place a temporary collar on the cat asking the owner to call us.
If the owner has not contacted us after one week we will collect the cat and take it to The Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
Sick or injured cats
If you find an ill or injured cat you can contact us using the details below and we will collect it straight away, where possible.
If we pick up an injured stray cat we will take it to a veterinary surgeon and keep it at our kennels. We will do everything possible to contact the owner. If no one claims the cat, once it is well enough it will go to Battersea.
Keeping stray dogs and cats
If you find a stray dog or cat and wish to keep it, you should notify us, your local police station and the Battersea Dogs and Cats Home.
You should also take it to a vet or bring it to us, so that it can be scanned for a microchip.
If the owner of the animal is looking for it, and has registered it missing, we will be able to inform the owner that the animal has been found.
After one month, if no one has claimed the animal, it is legally yours.