STRAY dogs are a big problem in North East Lincolnshire.
According to the council's animal welfare team manager Tina Weldrake, the borough is now in the top 20 local authority areas for the number of stray dogs.
In the 13 months between August 2013 and September 2014, the council took in 675 stray dogs – 341 of which were eventually reunited with their owners.
And aside from the worry and heartbreak caused to owners whose dogs go missing, there is one other unpleasant side effect to having so many dogs on the loose – what they leave on the pavement.
"If a dog is out wandering on its own it doesn't have an adult with it to pick their mess up. And even if they have only been out for an hour or two they are going to add to the dog fouling on our streets."
Although she is keen to stress that many owners whose dogs go missing are responsible, Tina says there are s ome cases where animals are abandoned.
Tina adds: "All lost dogs that are reported are recorded on our system. The first thing we do is go to the property of the person that has found it and check for a collar tag or microchip.
"If there is a collar tag we ring the number. If there is a microchip we have a log in where we can access the details of the owner.
"Unfortunately in 60 to 70 per cent of cases the details are not updated. In that case we follow all the leads we have to try to find the current owner."
She says the council only collects stray dogs that are contained.
"Legally we cannot chase a dog for health and safety reasons. If you start chasing a dog in the street it could run out into the road, cause a car to swerve and cause an accident."
Stray dogs are brought to the kennels at Grimsby's Doughty Road depot.
Today there are two dogs inside the kennels.
One is Max, an 18-month-old rottweiler who was found in Beverley Crescent in Grimsby.
His owner has been contacted and is due to pick him up later in the day.
The other dog is Millie, a seven-year-old Staffordshire Terrier, who was found in Armstrong Street, Grimsby the previous day.
She has been chipped but the owner's details do not appear to be correct.
Animals are generally moved to Sangreat Kennels in Brigg within 24 hours of arriving at Doughty Road.
The council is legally required to keep a dog for seven days after it is found.
Anyone who finds a stray dog can – after reporting it to the council – opt to foster it for seven days and then legally become the owner.
This is cost effective for the council and eases the pressure on kennel space.
Going out to collect found dogs is one of the most important tasks for the council's animal welfare officers.
However, their job can also entail responding to reports of suspected animal cruelty, noise nuisance, dogs not being contained properly and dog faeces accumulation.
Today, I join one of the animal welfare officers as she heads out on a couple of jobs around North East Lincolnshire.
Our first stop is a home in Cleethorpes whose owner has complained about an accumulation of dog mess in a neighbouring garden.
"Some people think that because it's in their own garden there's no obligation for them to pick it up", says the officer.
However, notices can be served on residents who fail to pick up dog mess in their gardens, although not the on-the-spot fines issued for dog fouling in public.
"After an initial visit we would return within 24 hours. If it has still not been cleaned up we would serve them a notice which would give them a further 24 hours to clear it.
"If they don't we carry out the works and they would be invoiced for the cost."
When we arrive at the house the woman takes us into the back garden.
She becomes upset and tearful as she tells the officer of the smell that has plagued her back garden for more than a year.
"It's all in the bushes, it's on the grass. I have had enough", she says.
"I have asked nicely but she just doesn't want to know.
"My bedroom is at this side and I have to keep the window shut. It's getting me down. I just don't know what to do."
The officer says that there is not enough dog mess at present to issue a notice on the neighbour to clear it up but advises the woman to ring next time there is an accumulation.
"There needs to be an accumulation", she explains. "We stipulate that the dog foul must be cleared on a daily basis. There has to be a blatant case of not picking it up for it to be a breach of notice."
Her next job takes her to an address in Grimsby, where a resident has complained that a neighbour has been swilling dog mess onto the pavement, but no evidence of this is found.
Then she receives a phone call from the office to say that Max's owner is coming to pick him up.
Lee Parkinson, 27, of Hainton Avenue, Grimsby, pays the £40 fee to get his dog back.
The money collected is used to pay for dog food and to buy dog poo bags which are handed out free at events.
Lee is relieved to be reunited with his pet who escaped from his back yard two days ago.
"I took a phone call yesterday to say they had got my dog. It was a big relief. I was really pleased to see him. Dogs are like part of the family. They are like your children once you get attached to them."
