A pet owner told the council his dog had died - only for it to be picked up as a stray by the dog warden.

Charlie May, 22, has been ordered to pay more than £900 after failing to update the details of his dog’s microchip.

He claimed the dog had died after being hit by a car, when in reality it had a new owner.

An investigation - and subsequent prosecution - was lead by Dover District Council (DDC).

The authority says the investigation began following the retrieval of a stray dog by police in Coldred on August 2.

The dog had a microchip implanted but the keeper’s details were out of date.

Mr May was confirmed as the keeper of the dog and collected the dog from the warden on August 23.

He was served with a Notice in accordance with Regulation 12(a) of the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 requiring him to update keeper’s details on the dog’s microchip within 21 days.

By September 20, the contact details had not been updated and DDC wrote to Mr May on September 22, asking him a series of written interview under caution questions.

Mr May had not replied by October 24, and a subsequent check of the microchipping database on October 25 revealed the details had still not been updated.

A final interview letter was sent to Mr May on October 26.

No reply was forthcoming, and further checks of the microchipping database in November and December showed the details were still not up to date for the keeper of the dog.

Mr May eventually contacted DDC on March 6 in response to a court summons at which time he informed the council the dog had died after being hit by a car.

However, on March 14, Mr May’s dog was picked up by the dog warden as a stray.

When contacted, Mr May admitted he had not updated the details on the microchip and that he had given the dog to someone else.

Mr May, of Old Folkestone Road, Dover, did not attend court but pleaded guilty to the offence at Folkestone Magistrates Court at the end of March.

He was fined £377 and ordered to pay costs of £375 and a victim surcharge of £151.