A Carlisle mum whose dog was picked up by the city council's warden has warned other owners to make sure their pets don't escape.

Karen Armstrong, 48, of Stonegarth, Morton Park, and her son Hayden Nicholson, 13, were extremely concerned for their dog Holly after she ran away from home.

Holly darted out the door when Karen was putting the rubbish out one evening. The 11-month old Patterdale Terrier has been with the family for eight months and has never run away before.

Desperate to find her, they searched the local area but had no joy.

“I was devastated and so was my so,” said Karen.

Holly was picked up by Carlisle City Council's stray dog service at 12.25am the following morning. Although Holly is chipped, the address was for Egremont – where Karen bought Holly – and not her new home.

Karen rang the day after Holly went missing, to see if she had been found, and was delighted to know she was safe. She was told she must pay £65 before Holly could be returned.

Due to some confusion, whereby the council thought the payment had not gone through but Karen thought it had, Holly was not returned that night as Karen expected.

“It got to about 7.30pm and the dog still wasn't here. I couldn't get through on the phone because obviously the dog warden goes through the city council, which closes at 5pm,” said Karen.

“At the end of the day I was so petrified me and my son we even drove all the way to [Oak Tree Animal Charity] Wetheral to pay the money. We drove all the way there to be told she's not here.”

The next morning, after a few calls, Karen went down to the civic centre to pay the £65 fine and collect Holly. The council then received a report that the payment had already been received so Karen didn't have to pay in cash.

Karen was particularly distressed because she believed if she didn't pay the money and collect Holly within seven days, her dog would be put down. But the council has denied that this would ever happen.

A Carlisle City Council spokeswoman said: “We operate a 24-hour stray dogs services and take every step we can to return stray dogs to their owners.

“We check to see if they are micro-chipped and if contacted by the owners, attempt to reunite them with their dog as quickly as possible.

“We take great care of the dogs whilst in our care and would not put dogs to sleep unless advised to do so by a vet. In the first instance if no dogs are claimed/paid for, then they are passed onto a charity for rehoming.”

Karen said she does not want other dog owners to go through the same distressing process she went through and advised people to make sure their dogs were safe and chipped.

“Lock your dog up by chain or key or this is the consequence you have got to go through,” she said.

Holly has still not recovered from the episode.

“I think she's traumatised,” said Karen. “I gave her a shower because she was stinking.”