Covid could be behind rise in Stratford strays

People buying pets during the Covid-19 lockdown could be one of the reasons behind an increase in the number of stray dogs, as figures show the number found in Stratford-on-Avon more than doubled.

44 were collected by the District Council in 2024, compared to 19 in 2023.

The figures were revealed at a meeting of the authority's regulatory committee, which also showed 41 were recovered in the area and boarded by the council in 2025.

Henry Biddington, the environmental health and licensing manager, said: "With the cost of living, dogs bought during Covid (means) we may be seeing the impact of those dogs being abandoned."

Biddington also told the meeting that the council had also budgeted for the number of strays to keep increasing in the new financial year.

He said the increase from 19 had meant there was already an increased cost to the authority for the collection and boarding of strays, which also had an impact on the service.

Data compiled by the Pet Food Manufacturers Association in 2021, the final year of the lockdowns introduced to try and limit the spread of Covid-19, suggested that more than 3 million households had taken on a pet in the year since the pandemic started.

However, Biddington told the committee that there is no specific evidence Covid-19 was responsible for the increase in abandoned dogs, 'there is a suggestion it might be the case'.

Sarah Whalley-Hoggins, the Reform UK councillor for Brailes and Compton wanted to know what policies were in place for destroying unwanted animals.

She was told that owners have seven days to collect their pet and after that, the kennels will try to re-home those they can.

However, some dogs can not be found new owners and it is the policy of the kennels to put the unlucky ones down 'depending on what condition they are in'.

"That is a decision for the kennel to make," Biddington told the committee.

This news was gathered by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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