Advice
I'm concerned about the welfare of an animal, what should I do?
For concerns about a dog - If you live within the Brent area, contact a BARK partner. If not you should contact the RSPCA. We will take details of the current condition of the dog and visit the dog owner to check on the welfare of the dog and advise the owner/ carer. (It is better to visit and make enquiries, even if we find nothing wrong, than to do nothing and leave an animal to suffer).
For all other animals (cats, birds, wild animals etc) - please contact the RSPCA or Mayhew Animal Home for advice.
I'm concerned about dangerous dogs in my area, what should I do?
If the dog in question has been involved in an incident where a person has been injured, contact the local Police.
If you are concerned about a dog in your area as you believe it could be a banned type of dog or it is acting aggressively but no incident has occurred, please contact any BARK partner.
I've seen a straying dog, what should I do?
Please contact Brent Council, Environmental Health with information on where and when the dog was seen and a description of the dog. The Animal Welfare Service will endeavour to locate the dog. If you have been able to catch the dog, please contact the service to organise collection between 8am - 4pm Monday to Friday or transport the dog to the Mayhew Animal Home or Battersea Dogs and Cats Home, London 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.
A neighbouring dog keeps getting into my garden, what can I do?
In order for dogs to have access to a garden, the garden should be secure so the dog is unable to escape and come to harm. If the garden is not fenced, the owner may not be taking adequate steps to ensure the welfare of their pet.
Contact a BARK partner who will be able to visit the owners and advise on the matter. If the dog continues to stray and the fence is not secured, the dog could be collected as a stray providing the animal is on land it is not supposed to be i.e. your private garden, and the Animal Welfare Officers have permission to remove the dog from the land owner. The owner of the dog can be fined for allowing their dog to stray on each occasion the dog is collected.
My circumstances have changed and I can no longer look after my pet, what should I do?
You need to think carefully about where to re-home your pet. A stranger on the street or an advert on Gumtree is not suitable ways to re-home a pet. Your pet has needs and rights which you should try, to the best of your ability, to ensure your pets new home can offer.
The best way to ensure this is to contact local animal homes and charities for assistance. Many animal homes have large amounts of dogs coming into them on a daily basis, so there may be a waiting list. You should be prepared to look after your dog for a few more days before assistance may be available. It is illegal to abandon your pet.
Local Animal Home contact details
I would like to get a dog, where should I go?
So, you have thought carefully about the time, space & money required to keep a dog for the 15 plus years of its life, and come to the decision that you can provide for the animal. Now where should you go to find your perfect pet?
We would always recommend you visit your local animal home first. Thousands of dogs are given up to homes every year as their owners are unable to cope with their dogs needs (which is why the decision to get a dog should never be entered into lightly).
Animal homes will assess their dogs to ensure they are paired with owners who are in a position to cope with the dogs needs. The dogs are usually temperament checked, health checked and have some basic obedience, however this is all an ongoing process which the new owners will have to build on.
We would not recommend you buy a dog from a pet shop or from an advert off the internet. Many of the pets you find in shops will come from puppy farms where the bitches are bred with no thought for their or their puppies health and welfare. You may be inadvertently supporting this franchise without realising as pups sold this way will not be advertised as 'puppy farm bred', but 'farm reared' or even 'home reared', giving you a false impression of the puppies background. You should only buy a puppy from a reputable breeder where you can visit the puppies in their home environment and meet the mother. The mother of pups should always be present or be able to be seen.
