Complaint filed with Cherwell District Council in connection to missing dog possibly being rehomed

The complaint has been filed on behalf of the DogLost UK group against the dog warden for the Banbury area in connection to a dog reported missing being rehomed and adopted to a new family.

More than three weeks after being reported missing Alicja Kusnierz is still desperate for the return of her two-year-old dog, Toffe, a tan terrier.

Toffe has been registered with DogLost UK, the UK's largest lost and found dog service. Volunteers with the DogLost group have helped circulate Missing Dog posters online.

Toffe went missing last last month while Alicja was away in Poland, and being looked after by a family friend. Toffe was last seen at a residence in Middleton Road, Grimsbury, Banbury. He got out when the door was left open at the property where he was being looked after. The dog warden and local vets were contacted at the time.

DogLost UK officials believe Toffe was found and handed over to the dog warden on August 21.

Volunteers with the DogLost UK group believe a dog matching Toffe's description was found, turned into the local dog warden, and then rehomed and adopted by another family.

An official with the DogLost group filed a complaint with Cherwell District Council on behalf of the group in connection to a dog they believe matched Toffe's description being rehomed and adopted when the owner had made contact within seven days of the dog being picked up.

The complaint filed by DogLost UK also includes how a photo of the dog found was provided for the dog warden to compare to Toffe's 'Missing photo.' But the adoption and rehoming of the dog went forward.

Officials with the DogLost group believe the rehoming should have been postponed until everyone was certain it was not Toffe, but it went ahead anyway.

Toffe's owner, Alicja, has also submitted a complaint with Cherwell District Council on how the case was handled.

Alicja said: "He is the second half of my heart, first is my daughter."

Toffe will continue to be registered as 'missing' with DogLost UK until Toffe is returned to his owner.

Officials with the DogLost UK group have also reached out to MP Victoris Prentis for help.

A spokesperson for Cherwell District Council said they could not comment on a specific case with a pending complaint.

Cherwell District Council has one dog warden who covers the entire area.

Cherwell District Council issued the following general statement on dog wardens: “Cherwell District Council has, by law, to appoint a dog warden and to take responsibility for dogs that are believed to be strays.

"Like the rest of the environmental enforcement team, the dog warden works to established procedures. The council must hold the dog for seven days to give the owner the opportunity to claim them.

"After this period has passed, we seek to rehome the dog. These are council duties, not discretionary actions for the dog warden. We also have to make arrangements to receive stray dogs out of business hours."

For more information on the council's dog warden service see their website here: https://www.cherwell.gov.uk/info/193/dogs/391/dog-warden-serviceThe police no longer take in stray dogs at police stations. The council's dog warden service is responsible for dealing with all stray dogs, including those found out of hours.

Some people automatically assume a stray dog has been abandoned but in the majority of cases there is a distraught owner looking for it. The council encourage people who find a stray dog that has been secured to contact them by phone on 01295 227003 (working hours) and 01295 221531 (out of hours and emergencies).

The council spokesperson added: “The law requires owners to microchip their dogs. If they are microchipped, this makes it far easier to reunite lost dogs with their homes. Dog owners living in Cherwell district can also sign up to the council’s free dog registration scheme via www.cherwell.gov.uk/dogregistration”