How to Report a Lost Dog in Kent: Step-by-Step (2026)

How to Report a Lost Dog in Kent: Step-by-Step

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Step 1 — Call Your District Council Dog Warden

In Kent, stray and lost dogs are handled by the local district or borough council — not Kent County Council, and not the police (unless theft or danger is involved). Each district runs its own dog warden service with its own phone number, kennels, and out-of-hours arrangements.

You need to call the district council for the area where your dog went missing — not where you live, if those are different.

For the full list of all 13 Kent services — including Swale, Sevenoaks, Gravesham, Dartford, Tonbridge & Malling, and Tunbridge Wells — with out-of-hours contacts, email addresses, and official council links, see our complete Kent dog warden contact list.

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What to Tell the Dog Warden

When you call, have this information ready. The more detail you give, the easier it is for the warden to match your dog if it has been picked up or is reported later:

• Your name, address, and phone number — the warden needs a primary contact to call you back
• A clear description of your dog — breed (or best guess), colour, size, distinguishing marks, age, sex, and whether neutered/spayed
• What your dog was wearing — collar type, colour, lead attached or not, ID tag details
• Microchip number (if you have it to hand — check your pet insurance documents or microchip certificate)
• Exact location and time your dog went missing — be as specific as possible: street name, car park, footpath, beach access point
• Which direction the dog was heading — if you saw them leave, say so

Folkestone & Hythe District Council's lost dog page specifically asks for: your name, address and contact number, a description of your dog, an approximate time and date lost, and the location when lost.¹

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Step 2 — Mark Your Dog as Lost on Your Microchip Database

In England, all dogs over 8 weeks old must be microchipped and registered on a Defra-approved database.² When a dog warden, vet, or rescue scans the chip, the database record is the first thing they check. If it says your dog is missing, that immediately triggers a reunification process.

What to do:

1. Check your paperwork (vaccine card, pet insurance document, or microchip certificate) to confirm which database your dog is registered on
2. Log into the database — the main ones in the UK are Petlog (run by the Kennel Club), MicrochipCentral, Identibase, and Animal Microchipping
3. Update the record to mark your dog as lost (or stolen if that is the case — include the crime reference number from Kent Police)
4. Verify that your registered phone number and address are current — if you have moved or changed numbers since getting the chip, update them now

If you do not know which database your dog is registered on, you can check using the free lookup at check-a-chip.co.uk — enter the microchip number and it will tell you which database holds the record.

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Step 3 — Register on DogLost.co.uk

DogLost is a free, volunteer-run UK database of missing and found dogs. Several Kent councils reference DogLost directly on their lost dog pages. It is worth registering on DogLost as soon as possible after reporting to the council, because:

• Members of the public who find a stray often check DogLost before calling the council
• DogLost alerts are shared automatically across social media networks, dramatically increasing visibility
• Found dogs are also registered on DogLost — always check the "found" section for dogs matching your dog's description, breed, and the area they went missing

When registering your dog as lost, include:

• A clear, recent photograph (ideally one that shows the dog's size, markings, and face)
• Exact location and time last seen
• Microchip number
• Any distinguishing features — scars, collar type, tail docking, ear tags
• Whether the dog was on a lead at the time (this affects how far they might travel)

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Step 4 — Alert Local Vets and Kennels

Call every vet surgery within a reasonable radius of where your dog went missing. Members of the public who find a stray dog will often take it to the nearest vet rather than calling the council. The vet will scan for a microchip, but if no chip is found — or if the chip record is out of date — having your details on file at the surgery means they can call you directly.

Also call local rescue centres and kennels. In the Folkestone and Hythe area, the RSPCA Canterbury and District branch, and local boarding kennels, are worth contacting.

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Step 5 — If Your Dog Was Stolen (Not Lost)

If you believe your dog was deliberately taken — not lost — the reporting process is different and more urgent:

1. Call Kent Police on 101 immediately. Report your dog as stolen, not missing. This creates a crime record — not a lost property entry. Get the crime reference number. If the theft is happening right now or there is immediate danger, call 999.³
2. Mark as stolen on your microchip database and include the crime reference number
3. Register on DogLost as stolen (the category is separate from "lost")
4. Still call the dog warden — a stolen dog may be dumped and picked up as a stray if the thief cannot sell it

Under the Pet Abduction Act 2024, taking or detaining a dog is now a specific criminal offence in England, punishable by up to five years in prison, a fine, or both.⁴ Kent is one of the worst-affected areas in the UK for dog theft — in 2024, Kent Police recorded 152 reported dog thefts, the highest figure outside London.⁵ For the full picture on dog theft in Kent — including the breeds most at risk and how to reduce the risk — see our dog theft prevention guide for Kent.

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What Happens When Your Dog Is Found

The 7-day rule

Under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, councils must hold stray dogs for at least seven days before they can rehome or transfer the dog.⁶ After seven days, if the dog remains unclaimed, the council may transfer it to an approved rescue centre, offer it for rehoming, or — in extreme cases where the dog is suffering or dangerous — have it euthanised. Do not assume the council will hold your dog indefinitely. Act fast and keep calling back.

Fees you should expect

Collecting a dog from council kennels is not free. Fees vary by district, but Folkestone & Hythe District Council publishes a clear fee schedule that gives a realistic picture of what to expect:¹

Payment must be received before collection. At Folkestone & Hythe, you collect your dog from the Civic Centre at Castle Hill Avenue, Folkestone CT20 2QY, Monday to Friday 9am–4pm. You must bring a collar and lead — the council will not release the dog without one.¹

Proof of ownership

You will need to prove the dog is yours before the council releases it. Accepted documents typically include:

• Vaccination certificates
• Written confirmation from a vet registered with the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
• Pedigree certificate
• Pet insurance certificate
• Microchip registration certificate showing your name and address

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If Your Dog Went Missing on a Walk in Rural Kent

The reporting steps are the same, but rural losses add complications. Dogs that go missing on Romney Marsh, the North Downs, along the coast between Folkestone and Dover, or on the many footpaths through the Elham Valley can cover miles quickly — and they will cross district council boundaries without you knowing.

For Kent walking route details, including signal coverage and terrain notes, see our guide to dog walks in Kent.

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Post in Local Kent Facebook Groups

After completing the formal reporting steps (council, microchip, DogLost, vets), the next most effective action is posting in local Kent dog Facebook groups. These groups have thousands of active members who walk dogs in the same areas and may have seen something.

What to include in your post:

• A clear recent photograph of your dog
• Breed, colour, size, and any distinguishing markings
• Exact location and time last seen
• Your contact phone number
• Whether the dog is wearing a collar/lead
• Do not post your home address. If someone finds your dog, they can call you — you do not need to make your address public

Also check the Folkestone & Hythe District Council Facebook page — the council posts details of found and stray dogs there.¹

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Quick Reference Checklist

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Prevent This Happening Again

Once your dog is home safe, take a few minutes to address the most common reasons dogs go missing or are stolen:

• Update your microchip record — confirm your phone number and address are current
• Check your dog's ID tag — it must show your surname and address including postcode (Control of Dogs Order 1992)
• Check your garden fencing — walk the boundary and test every panel and gate latch
• Consider a GPS tracker — if your dog regularly walks in areas where recall is unreliable or signal is patchy. See our GPS tracker guide for Kent or the no-subscription guide if monthly fees are a concern
• Read our dog theft prevention guide for Kent for the full list of practical steps

For the full picture — theft prevention, livestock law, tick risks, ID tag rules, and more — see our complete Kent dog safety guide.

If your dog came home muddy and you need a groomer, find one near you: Folkestone dog groomers | Hythe dog groomers | Dover dog groomers

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Sources

• [1] Folkestone & Hythe District Council — lost or missing dogs (verified March 2026, includes fee schedule for 2025–26)
• [2] GOV.UK — Report a stray dog (gov.uk)
• [3] Kent Police — Animal crime advice and reporting (kent.police.uk)
• [4] GOV.UK — "Pet Abduction Bill becomes law" (24 May 2024), Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs
• [5] Dogs Today Magazine — "Dog theft in the UK: trends and changes in a decade-long report" (12 March 2025), reporting Direct Line Pet Insurance annual data
• [6] Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 149 — seizure and detention of stray dogs (legislation.gov.uk)
• Kent Dog Warden Contacts: Every District Listed — doggroomersfolkestone.com

Disclaimer: Phone numbers, fees, and council contact routes were verified from the official sources above in March 2026. Council services and fees can change — always verify current details via the official council website link before calling. This guide provides information for Kent dog owners and does not constitute legal advice.