A MAN from Brierfield has been prosecuted for not putting a collar and tag on his dog.
Mujtaba Ilyas (26), of Berry Street, appeared at Reedley Magistrates’ Court and was found guilty of two offences of permitting his dog to be in a public place without an identity tag.
He was given a 12-month conditional discharge because the court accepted he had taken steps to stop the offence happening again.
But he was ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs and a £30 victim surcharge.
This is Pendle Council’s first prosecution for a dog with no identity tag on its collar in a public place under the Control of Dogs Order 1992.
By law, dog owners must put a collar and tag on their pets.
Ilyas’s dog is microchipped, which allowed council dog wardens to return it to him when they found it straying.
But Mr Ilyas was told he must also put a collar and tag on the dog.
The dog continued to stray between November, 2011 and September, 2012 without a collar and tag on, and Ilyas was eventually summoned to court.
Coun. John David, who represents the dog wardens in Pendle, said: “Although microchipping is a permanent way of identifying a dog, it is a legal requirement for the dog to wear a tag with its owners’ details when out in a public place.
“I’m pleased that the magistrates agreed with us and saw fit to convict Ilyas. I think this demonstrates how seriously the courts take responsible dog ownership.
“It’s just common sense to want to tag your dog. That way anyone who finds it can return it to its owner.
“A microchip under the dog’s skin is only a back-up if the tag comes off or the dog is stolen as it allows people like our dog wardens to find out where the dog belongs and return it.”
The Council’s Dog Wardens are running a number of microchipping events over the next few months, offering Pendle residents the chance to have their dogs chipped for free.
At the events the council’s dog wardens will also be giving advice on correctly tagging dogs and offering residents the chance to purchase dog tags.
For more information about the microchipping events, look on www.pendle.gov.uk/microchip or call 661763.