§ Sir J. Lucas56, 58 and 59. asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department (1) if he is aware that a lost or stray dog handed by the police to an animals' home for safe keeping can legally be sold to a purchaser seven days after coming into police possession, and that the real owner, unless claiming the dog within seven days, cannot then reclaim his dog; and if he will introduce amending legislation to extend this period from seven days to one month;
(2) if he is satisfied that when a lost dog is found in a Metropolitan Police District, neighbouring police stations within a reasonable radius are also informed;
(3) if he is aware of the judge's comments in the case of Bromilow v. Howard, of which notes have been sent to him, concerning the law relating to stray dogs; and if he will consider modification of the law.
§ Mr. R. A. ButlerThe practice of the Metropolitan Police is to notify surrounding police stations of the descriptions of all dogs found. I have no reason to think that Section 3 of the Dogs Act, 1906, which governs the treatment and disposal of stray dogs found by the police, normally causes hardship or that the period of seven days for which a dog must be kept is unreasonably short.