Control and Welfare of Stray Dogs SO COM 6 PDF

1 **THE CONTROL AND WELFARE OF STRAY DOGS** **TABLE OF DOCUMENT DETAILS** Title The Control And Welfare Of Stray Dogs ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------- **Reference No** SO COM 6 St. Group/Departm...

1 **THE CONTROL AND WELFARE OF STRAY DOGS** **TABLE OF DOCUMENT DETAILS** Title The Control And Welfare Of Stray Dogs ------------------------------------ --------------------------------------- **Reference No** SO COM 6 St. Group/Department Community Steering Group Document Author PC 219 Panayiotis IOANNOU Initial Approval by Div Com (E) Andreas Pitsillides Approval Date To Be Assessed **Implementation Date** To Be Assessed **To be Reviewed Date** January 2023 **Last Revised Date** January 2020 **Quality Assured by** **Policy Department (PD) HQ** **Protective Marking** **Not Protectively marked** **Linked to other Standing Order** **Relevant Legislation** Dogs Ordinance 23/2007 **Pages** 6 **TABLE OF CONTENTS** [Introduction](#section1) [Page 3](#S1) [Section 1](#section1) ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ----------------- ------------------------ [Competent Authority](#section2) [Page 3](#S2) [Section 2](#section2) [Dogs Outside the Stations](#section3) [Page 3](#S3) [Section 3](#section3) [Dogs Within the Stations](#section4) [Page 4](#S4) [Section 4](#section4) [In the event that a dog has been captured or accepted by the Police](#section5) [Page 4-5](#S5) [Section 5](#section5) [Injured Dogs or Dogs Which Require Emergency Treatment](#section6) [Page 5-6](#S6) [Section 6](#section6) [Military Kennels/Vet](#section7) [Page 6](#S7) [Section 7](#section7) [Abbreviations Glossary](#section8) [Page 6](#S8) [Section 8](#section8) []{#section1.anchor}**1. Introduction** 1.The handling of stray dogs has become an issue that the police has increasingly been required to become involved in and although this is not a primary police job, it is one which needs to be handled professionally and humanely whenever required. The instances of stray dogs has risen over recent times so it is vital that the correct procedures are followed. []{#section2.anchor}**2. Competent Authority** 1. Depending on circumstances as stated in the Dogs Ordinance, a stray dog may be captured by the competent authority which includes the Veterinary Services, the Game Fund, the local Community Council and the Police. 2. Notwithstanding the above paragraph and as per the provisions contained within section 10 of the Dogs Ordinance 23/2007, the SBA Police will intervene in cases of extreme urgency which presents a direct danger to the public; e.g. violent or aggressive dog towards a member of the public or a danger to road users. 3. Generally, SBA Police officers do not deal with incidents relating to the capture of stray dogs outside the fenced areas i.e. Akrotiri, Episkopi, Dhekelia and Ayios Nicolaos Stations. To clarify the responsibilities of the individuals and the Police Service, the procedure to be adopted is as follows: []{#section3.anchor}**3. Dogs Outside the Station** 3.1 Where there is information about stray dogs during office hours, the reporter or finder is to be referred to the relevant community council where the dog was seen or found. A list with telephone numbers of all Community Councils is available from the Station Control Room. 3.2 During out of office hours or weekends, the SBA Police will attempt to communicate with the relevant Community Council, but in the event of no response, the police will undertake the collection of the stray dog(s) and hand it/them over to the respective Community Council at the earliest opportunity. 3.3 If a member of the public brings a dog to the police station which was found outside the station then the relevant community council is to be informed and they will either come to collect the dog or the member of the public will take the dog to the kennels of the relevant council. If it is a weekend then the dog will be placed in the police kennel and the council will be informed first thing on Monday morning. []{#section4.anchor}**4. Dogs Within the Station** ***4.1 The SBA Police will endeavour to collect stray dogs found within the stations, especially if they pose any danger to the public.  Once collected the dogs will be placed in the Police dog kennels and kept for 96 hours in accordance with the relevant Ordinance.*** ***4.2*** If a member of the public brings a dog to the police station that was found within the Station then it will be dealt with as per the paragraph above. []{#section5.anchor}**5. In the event that a dog has been captured or accepted by the Police** 5.1 Prior to placing any dog into the Police kennels, the dog(s) should be checked to see whether a microchip exists by using the microchip scanner which can be found in the control room. Any malfunction of the said scanner should be reported immediately to the Office Manager to make arrangements for it to be repaired or replaced. 5.2 An entry of the dog's particulars and the microchip number (if any) should be made into the 'Dog Register' located in the control room. The white 'Information Board' should be updated to show that the Police have the responsibility of a dog, or dogs, so all police officers can, at a glance, see that a dog, or dogs, are present in the Police Station. 5.3 In accordance with section 10 of the Dogs Ordinance 23/2007, the police shall use its best endeavors to trace the owner, e.g. contacting local veterinary services or practitioners quoting the description of the dog and/or chip number (if any). 5.4 The daily duty Sergeant has the overall responsibility and is to be supported by the MT Assistant who is responsible to monitor and ensure that the dog(s) have adequate food and water for the day. The responsibility to ensure that the kennels are kept in a hygienic condition at all times lies with the MT assistant. 5.5 The dog, or dogs, shall be kept for 96 hours from the time of capture to enable sufficient time for the owner to be located or for the owner to come forward. This does not prevent the police, in the meantime, from finding an alternative home for the dog(s) with animal rescue shelters or individuals willing to provide a home; however, in the event of the owner being found or coming forward during this time, then the owner shall take priority. 5.6 If, after 96 hours, the owner or an alternative home is not found then the relevant local Community Council or Military Vet will be contacted for the disposal of the dog(s). 5.7 It is the responsibility of the daily Duty Sergeant who can delegate this to MT assistant to contact the relevant local Community Council or Military Vet and to convey the dog(s) to them immediately following the 96 hours, or the next working day. 5.8 In all eventual outcomes the dog register will be updated to reflect the date and time when the dog(s) were taken out of the police kennels and the details of whom the dog(s) were handed over to, together with a telephone number. The white 'Information Board' should also be updated as well as the diary entries relating to taking over of station property by the duty sergeant. []{#section6.anchor}**6. Injured Dogs or Dogs Which Require Emergency Treatment** 6.1 Irrelevant of whether the dog(s) is found within the station or not, if it is in urgent need of veterinary services, e.g. the dog(s) are injured, have visible signs of disease or mistreatment or with severe malnutrition, one of the on-call private vets should be contacted regardless of the time. **[NAMES OF PRIVATE VETS ARE ON CALL TO RESPOND TO EMERGENCIES INVOLVING INJURED DOGS]** **[ESBA ]** **Antonis  PAPANTONIOU, Ormidhia Telephone No. 99759020 / 24722442** **Antonakis Georghiou, Ormidhia Vattenas Telephone No. 99659959** **Michalis LOUCA, Oroklini Telephone No. 24647550 (24 hrs line) ** **[WSBA]** **Michalis Pelekanis, Episkopi Telephone No. 99150823** **Antreas Antoniou, Kollosi Telephone No. 99725411 ** **Yannakis Pieroua, Avdhimou Telephone No. 99589169 ** **The Vets above can all provide 24 hrs coverage, microchip scan, treatment, euthanasia and disposal of dogs.** 6.2 These vets have agreed to respond to emergencies and the costs incurred should be forwarded to the SMT so that the relevant vet can be paid via the SBAA Finance department retrospectively via the appropriate procedure. If the dog is stray, then the SBAA will undertake to pay for the expenses but if it has an identifiable owner then every effort should be made for the veterinary costs to be reimbursed by the owner. Depending on the injuries of the dog and whether it has an identifiable owner or not, the Vet (or owner if there is one) will decide as to whether the dog will be treated or disposed of. []{#section7.anchor}**7. Military Kennels/Vet** 7.1 The Military Vet is located at Episkopi Station. In the event where there is a stray dog at WSBA which was found within the stations during office hours then the said dog can be taken to the military dog kennels. If it is after office hours, then the dog will be taken to the police station kennels and then taken to the military kennels in due time. The Vet is also willing to deal with stray dogs that are found in ESBA but due to the distance it may be more practical for the dogs to be kept at ESBA and eventually undertaken by the relevant local Community Council. The Vet is also happy to take dogs which require emergency treatment but this is not advisable at ESBA as it is not in the interest of the dog's welfare to be transported from ESBA to WSBA whilst in pain. []{#section8.anchor}**8. Abbreviations And Glossary** +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+ | **[Competent Authority | ***[Area Offices]** | | -]** (a) in relation | -- Are an integral part of the* | | to land occupied, or to which | | | access is controlled or | *Sovereign Base Areas | | restricted, by the Crown and | Administration,* | | premises on such land, the Chief | | | Officer; | *Carrying out a wide spectrum of | | | civil* | | \(b) in relation to any other | | | place--- | *Government functions in the | | | SBAs.* | | \(i) for the purposes of | | | sections 8 and 28, | **[Stray Dog]** - | | | means a homeless dog or a dog | | the Director of Veterinary | which, being in a place which | | Services of the | does not form part of premises | | | occupied by its owner or by some | | Republic; | other person having care of it, | | | is not under the direct | | \(ii) for the purposes of | supervision of its owner or of | | section 12, the | another person having care of it. | | | | | Head of the Game Fund Service of | [**Community Council** | | the | --] Elected body | | | within our local community areas | | Republic; | with wide ranging | | | responsibilities including the | | \(iii) except as otherwise | collection of stray dogs. | | provided in sub | | | | | | paragraphs (i) and (ii), the | | | community or | | | | | | municipal council for the place | | | in | | | | | | question;". | | +-----------------------------------+-----------------------------------+