Found animals

Discovery animal keeper:
Maija Ahola tel. 040 589 84 46
Tiermakantie 10, 98900 Salla
maija.ahola57@gmail.com

The Animal Welfare Act obliges cities and municipalities to provide temporary care for stray dogs, cats, and other small hobby animals.

The law obliges you to take care of a found animal for 15 days. During this period, the owner has the possibility to redeem the pet for the costs of care, transport, etc. If the owner cannot be found within 15 days, the animal can be found a new home or put down.

You should also report a lost animal on social media. Also remember to tag your pets, it will help you find the stray to take home.

The city of Kemijärvi, the municipalities of Pelkosenniemi, Salla and Savukoski have signed a contract with Maija Ahola, a found animal keeper, to find a place to recover the animals.

Animal Welfare Act, Found animals

The municipality must have a place for the temporary care of dogs and cats and other small companion and hobby animals(found animals) found loose and caught in its territory.

At the point of recovery, the animal must be checked for identification or other means of identification and reasonable steps must be taken to notify the owner or other keeper of the recovery. A sick or injured animal shall be provided promptly with the first aid and other reasonable and appropriate treatment it needs to treat the illness or injury.

The found animal must be kept for at least 15 days after the owner or keeper has been informed of its recovery. After this period, the municipality has the right to sell, dispose of or kill the animal.

The municipality or the service provider is entitled to charge the owner or keeper of the animal for the necessary and reasonable costs of the animal’s recovery, transport, care and, where appropriate, killing.

If the police have been notified of the recovery of a dog under Section 55 of the Hunting Act (615/1993), the police must report the recovery to the place where the animals were found.

Contact details of the recovery site

Kemijärvi, Pelkosenniemi, Salla and Savukoski

Maija Ahola
Animal Farm Road 10
98900 Salla
tel. 040 589 84 46
maija.ahola57@gmail.com