Your browser does not support JavaScript! List of dog warden services and local authorities in Scotland
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Dog Warden Services in Scotland

The laws covering how stray dogs should be dealt with are specific.
Local authorities have a duty to provide officers who will deal with strays, appoint and license a place for strays to be held for a seven day statutory period The seven day statutory period legally defines how ownership of a dog is transferred from the original owner to the local authority.
The law states that a dog must be 'SEIZED AND IMPOUNDED' for seven days, by an officer appointed by the local authority to deal with strays (usually a Dog Warden).
If the dog is not 'seized and impounded' in the prescribed manner, ownership is not transfers and the dog remains the property of the person who lost it. (in order to allow their owners time to re-claim them) and provide an out of hours drop off point Councils are required to provide an address where the finder of a dog can take it, and leave it, outside of the hours kept by their dog warden services.
This is usually the local pound.
This service should be available to the public 24/7 as dog wardens normally only keep 9 to 5 office hours on weekdays.
Councils often only advertise these facilities on their websites.
In Scotland the Police may accept a stray dog from a finder, but do not have a duty to do so. where people who find stray dogs can take them and hand them in if the dog warden is not available.

If you lose your dog you should contact the local authority covering the area where it was lost and report it as missing.
You may also be wise contacting any adjoining CouncilsThere is currently no central database for lost dogs and sometimes council authorities that deal with strays work in isolation.
It is worth broadening your search by contacting neighbouring council stray dog services in case your dog has strayed or been taken into an adjoining authorities region and reported found there. in case the dog has strayed into another authorities area and been picked up there.

If you find a stray dog, the law stipulates that you MUSTDogs are classed as property.
The same laws covering theft of property apply to them.
The law states that if someone finds property that belongs to someone else, they must report the find to the appropriate authority - otherwise it's theft.
In the case of a dog, the appropriate authority is the council, not the Police.
A lost dog may not have been 'dumped' and its owner may be desperately looking for it.
If it was your dog, how would you feel? report it to your local authority as soon as possible.
Until the dog has been seized and impounded by a designated authority, it remains the property of the person who has lost it.
If you fail to report finding a stray and keep the dog, it is theft and you could be prosecuted.

This page lists all Stray Dog services run by Scottish Council authorities in order.

Aberdeenshire - Angus - Argyll and Bute - Ayreshire - Clackmannanshire
Dumfries and Galloway - Dunbartonshire - Falkirk - Fife - Highland
Inverclyde - Lanarkshire - Lothian - Moray - Hebrides - Orkney
Perth and Kinross - Renfrewshire - Borders - Shetland - Stirling

The numbers given have been checked individually with each authority and are the approved numbers for contacting their services for lost and found dogs.
In some instances these services are provided by traditional Dog Wardens, in some cases Community Wardens and in others Animal Welfare Officers.

The website links are directed to the pages that deal with stray dogs, if available, or the page of the department responsible for strays.
Should any Council change its webpage address these links may not work, however the written URL on the link is that of the Councils website home page and you will be able to type that address into a browser to get onto the authorities website if needed.

Once on their website you can navigate to the appropriate department.

If you enquiry concerns a Border Collie or Sheepdog you may wish to contact us directly.

If cruelty or neglect, you contact the SSPCA cruelty line or nearest SSPCA centre.
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If you have lost your dog or found a stray in Scotland, visit LostDogs-Scotland.org.uk
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Dog Warden services listed by alphabetic region


Aberdeenshire - Siorrachd Obar Dheathain - (including Aberdeen City)
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Angus - Aonghas - (including Dundee City)
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Argyll and Bute - Earra-Ghaidheal agus Bòd
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Ayreshire - Siorrachd Inbhir Àir - (North, East and South)
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Clackmannanshire - Siorrachd Chlach Mhannainn
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Dumfries and Galloway - Dùn Phrìs is Gall-Ghaidhealaibh
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Dunbartonshire - Siorrachd Dhùn Bhreatainn - (East and West)
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Falkirk - An Eaglais Bhreac
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Fife - Fìobha
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Highland - A' Ghàidhealtachd
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Inverclyde - Inbhir Chluaidh
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Lanarkshire - Siorrachd Lannraig - (North and South - Including Glasgow City)
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Lothian - Lodainn - (East, Mid and West - including City of Edinburgh)
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Moray- Moireabh
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Outer Hebrides - Na h-Eileanan Siar
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Orkney Islands - Arcaibh
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Perth and Kinross - Peairt agus Ceann Rois
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Renfrewshire- Siorrachd Rinn Friù - (Including East Renfrewshire)
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Scottish Borders - Na Crìochan
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Shetland Islands - Ȝetland
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Stirling - Sruighlea
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