A Glenrothes dog owner claimed he “nearly fainted” after being charged £83 to have his missing pet returned after a day.
Colin Hunter said he was “distraught” when Travis, his Staffordshire bull terrier, went missing from his South Parks home.
Although the animal was quickly recovered by a Fife Council dog warden and taken to kennels, Mr Hunter, whose only income is from benefits, said he was staggered to be charged £83 to have his pet returned.
“I’ve had Travis for six years now and when he went missing I was really upset,” he said. “I was distraught but the council picked him up and took him to the kennels.
“When I went to collect him the next day I was told the cost came to £83. I nearly fainted.”
Dogs retrieved by Fife Council wardens are taken to privately-operated kennels until their owners can be traced or come forward.
Fife Council has defended its arrangement for stray dogs, with Elaine Devine, enforcement and commercial operations service manager, saying: “Chargeable fees are outlined in law.
“This amounts to a fixed fee of £25 and a charge to cover the costs involved in recovering and dealing with the dog which has been found straying. In Fife this amounts to £38.
“Other costs are charged by the kennel operators for boarding the stray until it can be retrieved.
“Dogs shouldn’t be wandering the streets alone because they can pose a danger, not only to themselves but to the public.
“Loose dogs can potentially cause road traffic accidents and any fouling is going to be left and could become another concern to the public.”
Mr Hunter had contacted his local councillor, Bill Brown, with his story and he has since raised the matter at the council’s environmental scrutiny committee.
Mr Brown told The Courier: “I feel the council needs to review the fee they charge. Fees across the council normally increase by the rate of inflation plus 1%.
“Councillors are not aware of individual fees being charged.
“I was horrified to hear the fee for one night in a kennel is £83 that’s a lot of money.
“People on benefits should be charged a reduced fee so that they can afford to get their pet back.
“I hope the council will review this fee in the coming budget.”