meet . . .. . . the Dog Warden

Dave Middleton is Hull dogs' best friend.

City council dog warden Dave Middleton was the first in the country when he was appointed 29 years ago. He is called out about 10 times a day to pick up strays and deals with every variety, mongrel and pedigree, as a matter of routine.

But one spaniel-poodle cross recently touched his heart. She was not micro-chipped, which meant he could not scan her and then, by contacting a centre where records are held, trace her owner instantly.

So he took her to Carr Lane Kennels, where she was looked after for eight days before becoming available for re-homing, as are all similar cases. She was also photographed and her picture put with other mutt shots displayed at Dave's base, the Public Protection Department at Witham. When nobody came forward to claim her, Dave did.

"My other dog died of old age. I'd been without a dog for about a year, but when I saw this one, I was hooked. Memembers of the public visit the kennels and if they see anything they like, they put a reserve on it. I put a reserve on her and after eight days, took her home.

"My wife Pauline was upset to see the state of her. Annie's still frightened of her own shadow, but she's getting better."

In his yellow council van, packed with cages, puppy baskets and doggie treats, Dave covers west Hull. His colleague, Chrissy Cooper, looks after the east side of the city, while their supervisor, Helen Bell, remains at base. Their pets control comes under Pest Control.

Last year they rounded up 178 strays. On collection, owners pay a £25 fee, plus £5 for every day's boarding, and their dogs are microchipped free of charge. If in receipt of benefits, they can, if necessary, be offered vouchers from charities The Dog Trust and RSPCA plus the City Council towards the cost of having the animal sterilised.

"We've been promoting neutering and spaying to reduce the stray problem and it's beginning to have an effect on numembers," says Dave, who initially worked as a dog-handler with a security firm. His post was created after North Hull Estate residevents petitioned for action over strays and for 13 years Dave covered the whole city.

Initially, dogs could be put down after seven days - a non-destruction policy was introduced in 1992 - and Dave still recalls a race against time to save 'a bundle of skin and bone'. With hours to spare, new owners were found in Grimsby and six months later, when Dave again saw the now healthy Lucky, he had a lump in his throat.

He adds: "Nowadays, we don't destroy any dog. They stay at the kennels indefinitely.

"I've never been bitten by a dog, only by the owners. Some of them object to the pick-up fees. One asked if I'd picked up his dog or a Rolls-Royce."

Dave's work extends to giving dogs free microchips at regular sessions held at Community Wardens' Offices. As many as 100 had the painless injection at Anlaby Road in August and 60 at Dibsdane. He also visits schools, talking to youngsters about the responsibilities of ownership.

He says: "Strays are the result of bad ownership. At the end of the day, my job isn't about dogs, it's about people."