Report a dog or animal welfare issue

Dog Warden Service

If you need to get in touch with our dog warden service, email dogwardens@belfastcity.gov.uk or call 028 9027 0431.

You can report:

• a stray dog
• a dog attack
• dog fouling
• a lost or stolen dog
• an overheating dog

If you are concerned about a barking dog, you should report a noise problem.

Operating hours

Our dog wardens operational hours are:

Report an animal welfare issue

We are responsible for enforcing the Welfare of Animals (NI) Act 2011. This applies to non-farmed animals only - these are domestic pets of any vertebrate species and equines such as horses and donkeys.

If you have any concerns about a domestic animal, horse or donkey or think an animal is suffering from neglect, you should report an animal welfare issue.

You can also report a dead animal.

Report an animal welfare issue online

You can also report an issue by email or phone.

 If your call is not urgent, contact us during normal office hours.

We will investigate complaints and enforce the legislation, but an animal's welfare is always the responsibility of the owner or keeper. All reports are confidential and you can report concerns anonymously. 

We can take action to improve the welfare of non-farmed animals including:

• providing advice
• issuing an improvement notice
• taking animals into their possession and
• taking prosecution action

Welfare of farm animals

Welfare complaints about farmed animals (animals bred or kept for the production of food, wool or skin or other farming purposes) should be referred to the Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) (link opens in new window). 

Welfare of wild animals

Welfare complaints about wildlife crime such as badger baiting, bird poisoning, deer poaching, or animal fighting should be referred to the PSNI on 101 or Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. 

You should also contact the PSNI about wild animals or animals on the road.

Report dog fouling

Help us clamp down on dog fouling by reporting it.

Find out more about reporting dog fouling

Report a stray dog

If you find a stray dog, call our dog wardens on 028 9027 0431. They'll arrange to collect it. You may also be asked for:

• your name, address and telephone number,
• a description of the dog including its type, colour, size and approximate age,
• the time, date and location where you found the dog.

Dog control fines

Dog control fines are issued in accordance with The Fouling of Land by Dogs (Belfast City Council) Act 2012 (link opens in new window). Enforcement is a key part of our approach to tackling dog control issues across the city.

Our Dog Enforcement Team patrols our parks and streets to remind owners about responsible dog ownership.

To improve enforcement across the city, we encourage residents to report incidents of fouling, dogs with no licence, and straying.

We issued these fines in the last 12 months.

Report a lost or stolen dog

To report a lost or stolen dog, call us on 028 9027 0431.

We'll check if our wardens have picked up the dog or taken it to our kennelling provider at:

Nutts Corner Boarding Kennels
18 Dundrod Road
Nutts Corner
Crumlin
County Antrim

Telephone:  028 9082 5889

Facebook: Nutts Corner Boarding Kennels (link opens in new window)

If you think a warden has picked up your dog and it's in Nutts Corner Boarding Kennels, you should contact the kennels before visiting.

To claim your dog at the kennels, you must:

• bring photographic identification for example your passport, driving licence, electoral card or national identity card
• pay the reclaim fee, the daily rate is £20
• pay the appropriate dog licence fee if your dog is not already licensed
• pay the fee to microchip your dog if it is not already microchipped

Your dog won't be released from the kennels until you provide proof the dog is currently licensed or you buy a dog licence.

Report an overheating dog

If you see a dog overheating in a car, you can call us:

If a dog suffers or dies because they were left in a hot car, their owner can face prosecution for neglect and cruelty.

Report a dead animal

You can report a dead animal on the road to our Street Cleansing team.

Report a dead animal 

You can also email openspaces@belfastcity.gov.uk  or call us on 028 9027 0230 to make a report.

If a domestic pet or non-domestic animal like a fox, bird or badger is found dead in your house or garden, you must make your own arrangements to dispose of the animal. 

You can find out more at wildlifetrusts.org or GOV.uk (Links open in new window)

Advice on stray or feral cats

We have no authority to deal with stray or feral cats. Cats have a transitory nature, compared to dogs which are usually confined to a property. Cats are unlikely to be classed as a statutory nuisance. It's an offence to harm cats. They are protected by law.

It is irresponsible and illegal to leave a cat without providing proper care. If you can no longer care for your cat, you should contact a local cat rescue centre and sign the cat over for adoption.

Sometimes people mistake domestic cats as stray cats. You should not feed a cat you do not know. The cat could have an owner. You might harm the cat by giving it food that it is allergic or not used to. Stray cats are usually feral or semi-feral. This means they are shy, nervous, and even aggressive towards people and don't want to be handled.

The Cats Protection organisation can provide advice on cats. You can contact them by:

• email belfast@cats.org.uk 
• calling 028 9048 0202

Cats are free to roam and often spend long periods away from their home. They are more likely to stay away from home if different people feed them. Our advice is not to feed cats you don't own. If you have any welfare concerns for a cat and know the owner's address, report the issue to animal welfare (link opens in new window).

Cat faeces can be a nuisance to neighbours causing flies and smells. A cat owner should have a covered cat litter tray in their garden to encourage their cat to toilet in this rather than other people's gardens. You can buy these trays in pet stores or make one using a washing up bowl and place this under a shelter.

To help deter cats from your garden, you could:

• use a cat repellent sprays. Cat repellents aren't designed to last longer than a day or two without degrading and losing their potency
• make a simple animal repellent with black pepper and chilli pepper. It's best to grind your own because the smell will be much stronger. Spread the powder on annuals and perennials to keep cats away
• scatter some orange or lemon peel to create no-go zones as cats don't like citrus smells. Citronella Oil is a good cat repellent
• install an ultrasonic noise device. But cats and other animals tend to get used to the "sounds" emitted by these devices and may eventually find their way back onto your property
• plant cat repellent plants like Coleus canina, known as "Scaredy Cat". The plant can be used as a barrier for gardens or other areas of your lawn, producing a foul smell that cats hate. You might want to plant wild roses and bramble bushes as natural barriers