NINE dogs that were seized by police who believed they were stolen have all been returned to the site of the raid.

Police executed a warrant at an address in Bishop Auckland on Friday, April 16 following information received from the community.

A dachshund, a labrador and seven spaniels were removed after a warrant was executed at an address in Bishop Auckland because enquiries showed microchip data linked them to people not living at the property.

However, further investigations resulted in the registered owners of all nine dogs being traced and confirming they had transferred ownership to those living at the address.

Officers are now reminding dog owners about the importance of registering their pets after returning several dogs seized earlier this month.

Neighbourhood Chief Inspector Andy Reeves, of Durham Constabulary, said: “It is so important that people not only microchip their dogs but also ensure they are registered and that these details are kept up-to-date.

“If we find a stolen dog, we want to reunite it with their owner as soon as possible and to do this we need accurate registration information.”

If you wish to check your dog’s microchip and have the number then you can do so at identibase.co.uk

Your vet will be able to check a dog for the microchip number if unknown.

A spokesperson for Durham Police said further visits are still planned to the address in Bishop Auckland following the issuing of the improvement notice at the time.