Number of stray dogs taken in by Wakefield Council up due to cost of living crisis
A senior councillor said there were “a lot of stray dogs” around the Wakefield district due to owners being unable to afford to look after them
A council’s annual bill for dealing with stray dogs has risen due to the cost of living crisis, a meeting heard.
A senior councillor said there were “a lot of stray dogs” around the Wakefield district due to owners being unable to afford to look after them or pay for their release from kennels.
According to figures, there has also been an increase in the number of dogs being put down after being taken taken to the council’s dog pound.
Daniel Wilton, the council’s cabinet member for communities, gave details of the cost increase as he responded to a written question during a full council meeting.
Pete Girt, independent councillor for Knottingley, said data for the 2024/25 financial year revealed 194 animals were collected by the council’s dog wardens.
Of those, 76 were reunited with their owners, 61 went to rehoming centres and 44 were euthanised.
The overall costs to the taxpayer during the 12-month period was £56,388.
During the previous year, the council’s costs for dealing with stray dogs were £44,654.
Coun Wilton said the increase was partly down to the council entering into a new kennelling contract and requirements to comply with legislation on XL bullies.
New laws banning the breed in England and Wales took effect in February 2024.
The meeting heard nine out the 44 dogs euthanised during the 2024/25 financial year were XL bullies.
Coun Wilton said: “We have also seen an increase in dog owners who haven’t been able to pay for the release of the dogs from the kennels or have been too ill for them to recover the dog and continue the vet treatment.
“Unfortunately they have had to be euthanised.
“This may have also contributed to the escalating costs to the council as we will have paid for the kennelling until the dogs were euthanised.
“The dog wardens who I met a couple of weeks ago are working very hard to reunite dogs with their owners before taking them to the kennels.
“With a small team of only three officers, this is their priority.”
Coun Wilton added: “We need to take into account external factors such as the cost of living crisis and the fact that a lot of people are not taking ownership of dogs due to cost of living pressures and austerity, so there are a lot of stray dogs around.”
Coun Girt, who volunteers with a dog rehoming charity, said: “A good part of the reason why dogs aren’t reclaimed is because when people move they don’t update the chip, so then the owner can’t be traced.”
Coun Girt asked if more could be done by the authority to raise awareness of the issue.
He added: “I do think only having three dog wardens for the size of our district isn’t enough.
“I don’t know if there is anything you can do to improve that?”
Coun Wilton replied: “I’m happy to meet with you and I think there is some work we can do there.”