Whether you are walking down your local high street, strolling through Maldon’s Promenade park or having a day trip to Burnham’s sea front, the chances are likely that you’ll run into a dog walker or two.

Yet despite being a district of dog lovers, many dogs are still being found wandering the streets as strays and are either picked up by or handed into Maldon District Council’s dog wardens.

Between April 2013 and April this year, 82 stray dogs have been handed into or picked up by one of Maldon District Council’s dog wardens.

Only 23 were able to be taken directly back to their homes and sadly just 28 of these dogs were reclaimed by their owners.

The rest were signed over to the council’s contracted kennels, Clarks Farm Greyhound Rescue, in Wash Lane, Little Totham, where they are cared for, rehomed or handed over to specialist rescue organisations.

See the Maldon and Burnham Standard for the full story on Thursday.