Reading Borough Council discontinued the out-of-hours animal warden service over five years ago. This service was vital for the welfare of animals in our borough, providing assistance during emergencies outside regular working hours. Neighbouring boroughs such as West Berkshire, Wokingham and South Oxfordshire District Council continue to provide such a vital service to it's local residents.

Currently, Reading residents who find a lost dog are expected to take up the slack, during out-of-hours, by transporting the animal to the nearest out-of-hours emergency vet, so that it can be scanned for a microchip. This isn't always a viable option for many residents due to individual circumstances. Despite the law changes, which introduced the microchipping of a dog, many microchips are still not being registered or kept updated. Dogs found with unregistered or updated microchips are then expected to be the responsibility of the finder, as emergency vets are not obliged to care for a found dog, unless it is in need of urgent emergency medical treatment. This leaves any finder of a dog in limbo, as it is not always reasonable or realistic for many residents to keep a dog, that is likely to be distressed, within there home overnight or over a weekend, until Reading Borough Councils animal warden can be contacted to collect.

According to RSPCA statistics, there are approximately 51 million pets in the UK (PFMA, 2020), indicating a significant need for such services. We believe it is crucial that this service be reinstated to ensure the safety and well-being of lost dogs within the Reading Borough. Please sign this petition to urge Reading Borough Council to bring back an out-of-hours animal warden service for our community's furry friends.