Manchester dog warden: getting your dog back
If Manchester council's dog warden service picks up your dog, you pay its fees before you can take them home. Here's what it charges, from its own website (October 2026), and what to do if your dog goes missing in Manchester.
What Manchester charges
£135*after one night in kennels
£135 release fee if a dog warden picked up your dog, or £95 if a member of the public took it to Manchester Dogs' Home
An older council page still shows £65 and £45. The Dogs' Home may also charge for other care costs.
For a microchipped dog with correct details, collected in working hours and picked up the next day in office hours. Vet treatment is extra. * The council's page leaves some room for doubt: see the note.
Manchester council's stray dog page · no year given
How it compares
- The 4th dearest of the 21 councils in the North West whose fees give a one-night total.
- The middle cost in the North West: £95.
- Across the UK: £100, from 186 councils. 13 charge £200 or more.
If your dog is missing in Manchester
- Call Manchester council's dog warden or stray dog service now (its number is on its stray dog page), and the neighbouring councils too: dogs travel. Give a description, a photo and the microchip number.
- Ask them to check their register of stray dogs, which councils must keep and anyone can see free. The council only has to keep a stray for seven clear days.
- Tell your microchip database your dog is missing. Not sure which one? Our microchip number checker shows you.
- Ring vets and rescues nearby, post in local groups, and put up posters: the free lost dog poster maker takes a minute.
- When you collect, bring proof your dog is yours (microchip paperwork, vet records, photos) and a way to pay.
The full steps are in our lost dog checklist and our guide to getting your dog back from the dog warden.
Questions
How much does Manchester charge to get a dog back from the dog warden?+
About £135 for a microchipped dog kept one night and collected the next day in office hours, worked out from the council's own fee list (October 2026): £135 release fee if a dog warden picked up your dog, or £95 if a member of the public took it to Manchester Dogs' Home. An older council page still shows £65 and £45. The Dogs' Home may also charge for other care costs. Vet treatment is extra.
How long does Manchester keep a stray dog?+
By law (section 149 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990), seven clear days. After that the council can rehome your dog, so call as soon as your dog goes missing. Kennel costs go up each day.
I've found a dog in Manchester. What do I do?+
Check its tag first, and scan a QR tag if it has one: returning a dog to its owner costs them nothing. Otherwise the law (section 150 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990) says to take it to the council's dog warden service straight away and say where you found it.
Other councils in the North West
- Blackburn with Darwennot listed
- Blackpool£82.39*
- Boltonnot listed
- Burnleynot listed
- Burynot listed
- Cheshire East£120*
- Cheshire West and Chester£95*
- Chorley£200*
- Cumberlandnot listed
- Fylde£100*
- Halton£0
- Hyndburn£100*
- Knowsley£94
- Lancaster£66.72*
- Liverpool£95
- Oldhamnot listed
- Pendle£80
- Preston£126
- Ribble Valleynot listed
- Rochdalenot listed
- Rossendalenot listed
- Salford£42*
- Sefton£128
- South Ribble£200*
- St. Helensnot listed
- Stockport£155*
- Tamesidenot listed
- Trafford£42*
- Warringtonnot listed
- West Lancashire£55*
- Westmorland and Furness£48*
- Wigan£68*
- Wirralnot listed
- Wyrenot listed