A CLACTON dog owner has been left devastated and heartbroken after her dog was reportedly rehomed by the council after it was considered a stray following an escape.

Donna Cairnes’ Lhasa Apso Missy Lou fled the family home on October 13 after strong winds forced the property's gates wide open, offering an opportunity for the small dog to escape. 

She was soon picked up by the Tendring District Dog Warden before concerned residents shared her image on social media in an attempt to find her owner. 

Mrs Cairnes saw the posts and got in touch with the warden in the hope of bringing her beloved pet pooch home. 

She said: “I spent the whole weekend feeling sick to my stomach, wondering where she was.” 

The dog warden, however, informed her on the following Monday about the bill the kennel charges owners for caring for the animals after they have been picked up.

With every additional day which passed as Mrs Cairnes struggled to raise funds to pay the bill, the figure increased to a higher amount. 

The distraught dog owner says she was then told if she was not able to pay the bill by October 20, her dog would be rehomed with the RSPCA. 

“It’s like a collapsed system, that’s the way I see it,” said Mrs Cairnes. 

“The bill has just gone through the roof and then I was told if the bill is not paid then I’m not getting my dog back at all. She is my kid.” 

Unfortunately, on November 2, she was informed the dog had been rehomed. 

Bosses at Tendring Council have now said the handling of stray or lost dogs follows a specific process which the owner was involved in and advised about throughout. 

“To claim a stray or lost dog people must provide some evidence of ownership and pay the fees we charge to administer our dog warden service,” the spokesman said. 

“In this case, the alleged owner was informed of the process, however, did neither of these things. 

“As a result, following our guidelines, we cared for the welfare of the dog for seven days before passing it to the RSPCA for re-homing.

“We understand pets are an integral part of families and a lost or stray dog can be an emotional experience; we thank our staff who go through this difficult process in a sensitive manner.”