Reclaim or Surrender a Dog

Under the Control of Dogs Act 1986, Dublin City Council provides a dog warden service, which deals with strays, surrenders and seizures across the city. We also provide a dog shelter service where dogs collected by our wardens are held in the hope they can be rehabilitated and rehomed.

Reclaiming a Dog

Dublin City Council arranges for the provision and operation of a dog shelter facility for the purposes of its functions under the Control of Dogs Act 1986, the Control of Dogs (Amendment) Act 1992 and Dublin City Council's Control of Dogs Bye-Laws.

Dogs that are surrendered, seized or found by our team are brought to Dublin City Council’s officially designated pound. Here, a description of the dog is taken and a vet conducts an examination. The dog will also be scanned for a microchip and, if it doesn't have a microchip, one is inserted.

If your dog doesn't have an up-to-date microchip, you can get in touch with us using the contact details at the bottom of this page to see if your dog has been picked up by one of our wardens.

You can also check the Animal Welfare Unit's Facebook page, which is regularly updated with photos of the dogs we have taken in. The register below, which features a list of the dogs in our shelter with unknown owners, is also updated on a monthly basis.

Dogs that are not reclaimed within five days can legally be rehomed, so it is important to contact us as soon as possible when your dog is lost. Find more advice in our article on what to do if your dog is lost.

To reclaim your dog, you will need to provide proof of ownership and ID. You will also need to pay associated fees in advance.

Fees Associated with Reclaiming a Dog

The cost of reclaiming your dog will depend on how many nights it spent in our shelter. A fee of €150 is charged for five nights, plus another €30 for each additional night.

Other potential charges include a microchipping fee of €25 if your dog had to be microchipped upon arrival at the shelter and a drop off fee of €50 if your dog is returned to your home by one of our wardens.

You may also face fines depending on the circumstances in which your dog was found by our wardens. If they were not wearing a collar and ID tag, you could face a fine of €200.

All fees must be paid in advance of your dog being collected or returned. You can pay by card by calling 01 222 5441 or 01 222 3368.

Surrendering a Dog

If you can no longer care for a dog, get in touch using the contact details below. You may be able to surrender it to Dublin City Council's shelter, but we currently have a waiting list. We prioritise the dogs we take on a case by case basis. However, we may be able to refer you to a third-party organisation.

We charge a surrender fee of €250 per dog. This fee must be paid in advance of the collection of your dog. You can pay by card by calling 01 222 5441 or 01 222 3368.

To surrender a dog to our shelter, you must be able to provide proof that you are the dog's legal owner.

What Happens to Unclaimed Dogs

Dogs not reclaimed from our shelter within five days of admission can legally be rehomed. However, we must follow a process to determine whether a dog is suitable for rehoming first.

Where dogs to be rehomed have proven difficult to handle, or come from homes where abuse occurred, we complete a behavioural assessment of the dog. You can download a copy of the procedures we follow when assessing these dogs below.

We frequently work with our partner organisations to rehome dogs living in our shelter.

Contact the Animal Welfare Unit

If you would like to reclaim or surrender a dog, contact the Animal Welfare Unit using the details below. Our phone line is open 9am-9pm daily.