Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department launches special operation today to step up capture of unattended dogs

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department today launches a new phase of a special operation, which over the next four months will prioritise high-risk locations where dogs have attacked passers-by and where stray dogs gather, stepping up the capture of unattended dogs, and will carry out joint enforcement action with the Police where necessary. After capture, dogs will be checked to see whether they have been microchipped and hold a valid licence, and their keepers will be contacted; where the evidence is sufficient, prosecution will follow. Dogs whose keepers cannot be found will, after observation confirms them to be healthy and docile, be transferred to partner animal welfare organisations for neutering and adoption arrangements, and will not be released directly back into the community.