Becoming a Legit Private Investigator

WrittenBy:Bob P Jones
Within the UK every council has a responsibility to enforce the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Section149 deals specifically with stray dogs and dog wardens, also known as animalwelfare officers, are appointed by the council to deal specifically with this issue.

The Dog Warden's job is varied and requires awide range of skills. They are not only responsible for the control ofstray dogs and dog fouling and investigating any welfare complaints madeby the public but they are also involved in promoting responsible ownership. This may include visiting schools where they will teach children about their responsibility as a pet owner.

Dog Wardens have the power to issue penalty fines to people who refuse to clean up after their pets,they can apprehend stray dogs and investigate any noise nuisance caused by barking dogs and take appropriate action. TheDangerous Dogs Act 1991 andthe Dog Act 1879 also gives the warden the power to seize and detain anydog deemed as dangerous.

A Dog Wardensmust not only havean in-depth knowledge of the animals they deal with and their requirementsbut they must also have the ability to build strongrelationships with thepublic. However, the main priority of the dog warden is to enforce the Animal Welfare Act 2006.

The act consists of 5 main principles:

Ensuring the animal has a suitable place to live

Ensuring the animal is fed a healthy diet

Ensuring the animal hasthe company it needswhether it be with people or other animals

Ensuring the animal behavesin an acceptable manner at all times

Ensuring the animal is keptsafe and healthy at all times.

Enforcing this actcan make the warden's job very difficult and any incident reported of adog being treatedunfairly must be investigated.

In some circumstances this may result in a dog being 'seized' or removed from a premises. Not all pet owners are cooperative in this type of situation and things mayquickly become heated. Often working alone, thewarden's lone worker safety is paramount and he or she must therefore become proficient in the managementofconfrontation along with their many other skills.