Nearly 500 Dogs Found Wandering Cornwall Last Year: Owners Urged to Update Microchips

Dog owners across Cornwall are being reminded to keep their pets’ microchip and ID tag details up to date after almost 500 stray dogs were found in the county last year.

Hundreds of Reports of Stray Dogs

Between 2024 and 2025, Cornwall Council received 486 reports of stray dogs. While most were reunited with their owners, around 60 were rehomed after no one came forward to collect them.

Lost dogs that are microchipped and wearing an ID tag are usually returned home quickly. If owners cannot be traced, Cornwall Council’s Stray Dog service collects the animal and places it in kennels. Unclaimed dogs are then rehomed through rehoming agencies.

The Council’s stray dog service recently received the top platinum award in the RSPCA PawPrints Awards 2025, recognising its work across Cornwall.

Keeping Details Up to Date

Sarah-Jane Brown, Group Leader for Community Protection at Cornwall Council, said:
“The majority of dogs that are reported as strays are usually reunited with their owners fairly quickly.
“If their microchip details are up to date and they have an ID tag on their collar, it makes it so much easier for us to trace their families. This means the dogs are less likely be taken into our care, which saves the owner from having to pay kennel fees too.”

It is a legal requirement for every dog to be microchipped and registered with the owner’s current address, and for pets to wear an ID tag with their owner’s up-to-date contact details.

Abandoned Dogs on Bodmin Moor

Among the 60 dogs rehomed last year were three labradors and three spaniels found wandering on Bodmin Moor in September 2024. Despite public appeals, their owner could not be traced, and it is believed the animals, which were all reasonably healthy, had been abandoned.

Warning Ahead of the Festive Season

Councillor Thalia Marrington, cabinet member with responsibility for Community Safety and Public Protection at Cornwall Council, said:
“It’s really important that people take responsibility for their pets and look after them properly.
“With the festive season fast approaching, I really would urge people to think carefully about getting pets as presents, and for anyone who is welcoming a furry friend to the family to make sure they are microchipped and wear an ID tag on their collar whenever away from home.”

More information about microchipping and ID tags, including how to update your pet’s details, is available on the Cornwall Council website