The Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983

Seizure of stray dog N.I.

23.—(1) An officer may seize any dog which is a stray dog.

(2) A dog seized under paragraph (1) may be taken to a dog pound and may be detained by the district council by which the pound is maintained or used under arrangements made under Article 40(a) until the keeper has claimed it and paid all expenses incurred by reason of its detention (including the costs of any veterinary treatment provided under paragraph (5)).

(3) Where—

(a) any dog seized under paragraph (1) has been detained for 5 days after the seizure and the keeper has not claimed the dog; or

(b) the keeper has not paid the expenses such as are mentioned in paragraph (2) within such period as the district council may determine, being a period in addition to the 5 days mentioned in sub-paragraph (a);

the council may cause the dog to be sold or to be destroyed in such a manner as to cause as little pain as possible.

(4) No dog seized and detained under this Article shall be given or sold for the purposes of animal experimentation.

(5) The district council detaining a dog under this Article—

(a) shall cause the dog to be properly fed and maintained; and

(b) shall arrange for the provision of such veterinary treatment (including humane destruction) as it considers necessary.

(6) The seizure or detention of a dog under this Article shall not render an officer or a district council subject to any liability in respect of the illness, injury or death of the dog unless the illness, injury or death is directly attributable to a negligent act of the council or its servant or agent.

(7) The Department may—

(a) determine the minimum price at which dogs may be sold under paragraph (3);

(b) by order F1 . . . vary the number of days for which a dog is to be detained under paragraph (3)(a).

(8) A district council shall keep records of the seizure, and disposal, of stray dogs in its district.

F1 Words in art. 23(7)(b) repealed (28.7.2011) by Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 (c. 9), ss. 17(2), 18(1), Sch. 2; S.R. 2011/281, art. 2, Sch.