Lost Dogs

The Police are no longer responsible for dealing with lost dogs.  If you find a lost dog, you should contact the Oxford City Council Dog Wardens on (01865) 252 845 to arrange for the dog to be collected.

Found dogs are kept in kennels for a week and then new homes are arranged for them via animal rescue charities.

Animal Finders, a new network for lost and found pets in Oxfordshire, works with the Oxfordshire
branch of the RSPCA.  You can report a missing or found animal through their website.  There is no charge.  

The UK National Missing Pets Register also  offers a FREE service.

There is also website, maintained by volunteers, aimed at reuniting lost dogs with their owners - www.doglost.co.uk  

Microchipping is the best way to ensure that a lost pet is returned to you.  It's as simple as an injection. A microchip - the size of a grain of rice - is painlessly inserted under the animal's skin. Once in, the microchip cannot move or be seen, but can be read by the scanner.   The chip can be inserted by your own veterinary surgeon.

The RSPCA holds microchipping events, where it can be done for around £10.  It might be possible to have your pet microchipped at home.   Call Katherine in Witney on 01993 813 701.

In 2009 a dog in Australia was united with its owners nine years after going missing - thanks to a microchip.