Rough deal as dog wardens go astray

AN angry resident has slammed Oldham Council for providing an inadequate service in the absence of its dog warden.

The council has a legal requirement to collect any stray dog and even won an RSPCA Gold award in 2009 for its policies and procedure for stray dog welfare.

But when Lucy Davis spotted a black cocker spaniel running on Oldham Road, then again on Manchester Road, Failsworth, the following morning, she rang the council — and was told its dog warden was on long-term sick leave.

The council says it currently uses its Animal Warden Service as out-of-hours contractors.

But the service confirmed its officers have only been instructed to collect dogs which are already secured.

Miss Davis, from Springhead, said: “The dog was obviously lost so I rang the council to hopefully get someone to collect it.

“The lady advised me that they currently didn’t have a dog warden operating and gave me another number to contact. I rang the out-of-hours number and they advised me to call the council back. I was then told the dog warden was on long-term sick leave and that they had no replacement.”

Miss Davies said she was disgusted, adding: “This poor dog has been roaming the streets all night and no-one will do anything about it.

“If I see it again, I’ll take it in myself.”

Councillor Rod Blyth says he has been guaranteed that the council uses the Animal Warden Service as well as its own trained operatives to collect stray dogs while the warden is off ill.

An Oldham Council spokesman said: “We do provide a service as legally required and we do have an out-of-hours service. We have three days to respond to any enquiry.

“Serious problems such as dangerous dogs or dogs straying into schools will be dealt with urgently.”