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Animal activity licences

You will need an animal activity licence for: 

  • selling animals as pets – this includes keeping animals with a view to selling them 
  • boarding for cats or dogs (such as providing day care or accommodation, or arranging for the care of cats or dogs) 
  • hiring out horses for riding or instruction in riding 
  • dog breeding – this includes advertising that you’re selling dogs 
  • keeping or training animals for exhibition – this includes if the animals are recorded or their images are used for an audience that is online 
    • there is a 1 licence system – which means you can apply for many different licensable activities on 1 licence 
    • there is a star rating system which ranges from 1-5, and a rating is given based on risk and welfare standards of where the animals are being kept 
    • the licence period is up to 3 years and is linked to the star rating 

Guidance for animal activity licences

Guidance for each licence is available. You must follow and comply with the minimum standards stated in the guides on the Government website.

There is also guidance for licensing officers which shows how the Licensing Authority will carry out their role to enforce rules. 

View our animal activity public register [PDF, 0.1MB].

Apply for a new licence

Before applying: 

  • make sure you have read the guidance relevant for the licence(s) you’re applying for 
  • have the relevant planning permission in place – proof of which is needed for the application 

You’ll need to pay an: 

  • application fee  
  • inspection fee 
  • vet fee to inspect your premises (applies to dog breeding and horse hiring - the vet will attend along with a licensing officer to carry out the inspection and will need to be paid separately before the inspection) 

The fees you’ll need to pay depend on the size and type of your premises. 

After your application is submitted you can: 

  • arrange for an additional inspection before the official rating inspection takes place (an extra fee would need to be paid)   
  • contact the Licensing Authority for an inspection 

Apply for an Animal Welfare Licence

 

Renew a licence

You’ll be given a notice to renew your licence no less than 3 months before the expiry date on your current licence – this will have all the information you need about the renewal process.  

To make sure there are no breaks in between your current licence and your new one, you’ll have to submit a renewal application no less than 10 weeks before the expiry date of your current licence. 

To renew your licence the process is similar to applying for a new licence. But dog breeding premises do not have to have a veterinarian inspection upon renewal. 

Renew an Animal Welfare Licence

Right to appeal a decision 

If your application is refused you have the right to appeal (challenge) the decision. A right of appeal exists if your application is refused, or your licence is revoked (taken away). Appeals are heard by the First Tier Tribunal. 

There is also a right to appeal if you don’t agree with the star rating you’re given for your licence, which is done through the internal appeals system. If you have followed this procedure and still don’t agree with the decision, then you can seek judicial review of the decision, or submit a formal complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman

The application or renewal fee covers:  

  • the admin costs of the request for an inspection 
  • the cost of the animal welfare officer inspecting the property, and giving it a star rating 

The maintenance fee covers any unannounced visits to check properties.    

A more detailed breakdown of fees for different animal activities is given below: 

Breeding of animals  

  • the first inspection for dog breeders must be made by a veterinarian (vet), along with our animal welfare officer. There is an additional cost for a vet inspection, which must be paid separately before the inspection takes place 
  • any change (variation) to a licence would add a £36 fee and possible re-inspection from a vet (a separate fee will need to be paid to the vet) 
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        Number of bitches up to 3
New application fee, plus vet fee £287
Renewal fee, plus vet fee £196
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £162
- 2 year licence £215
- 3 year licence £270
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Number of bitches 4-9
New application fee, plus vet fee £395
Renewal fee, plus vet fee £303
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £270
- 2 year licence £323
- 3 year licence £377
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Number of bitches 10+
New application fee, plus vet fee £502
Renewal fee, plus vet fee £411
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £323
- 2 year licence £377
- 3 year licence £431

 

Boarding of Animals Kennels and Catteries                                         

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Up to 20 animals
New application fee £341
Renewal fee £234
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £162
- 2 year licence £215
- 3 year licence £270

 

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20+ animals
New application fee £449
Renewal fee £341
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £270
- 2 year licence £323
- 3 year licence £377

Any change to a licence will add an £36 fee, and possibly a re-inspection from a vet (a separate fee will need to be paid to the vet). 

Home boarding of animals

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Any number
New application fee £267
Renewal fee £182
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £150
- 2 year licence £200
- 3 year licence £250

Hiring of Horses

  • the first inspection for a horse riding premise must be made by a vet, along with our animal welfare officer. There is an additional cost for a vet inspection, which must be paid separately before the inspection takes place 
  • for this licence you must continue to have annual vet and council officer inspections, organised by us. Fees for the vet will be paid separately                                  
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  Up to 5 horses
New application fee, plus vet fee £395
Renewal fee, plus vet fee £303
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £162
- 2 year licence £215
- 3 year licence £270
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5+ horses
New application fee £502
Renewal fee £411
Maintenance fee after rating  1 Year Licence £270
- 2 Year Licence £323
- 3 Year Licence £377

Any change to a licence will add a £36 fee, and possibly a re-inspection from a vet (a separate fee will need to be paid to the vet).

Selling animals as pets

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Any number
New application fee £287
Renewal fee £196
Maintenance fee after rating  1 year licence £162
- 2 year licence £215
- 3 year licence £270

Any change to a licence would need a re-inspection, which would cost £173.   

Exhibiting animals

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Any number
New application fee £395
Renewal fee £303
- 3 year licence £270

Any change to a licence would need a re-inspection, which would cost £104. 

Dangerous wild animals

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Any number
New application fee £395

An extra fee for a vet inspection would be needed (a separate fee will need to be paid to the vet). 

Any change to a licence will add a £36 fee and possible re-inspection from a vet (if this needed, a separate fee will need to be paid to the vet). 

All premises will be inspected before the licence is granted. The inspector will want to see that you have the following: 

  • specialist knowledge for the animals you’re caring for and a clear understanding of its needs and welfare. This would include the animals' mental and physical health, feeding and knowledge of how to improve its’ environmental. You should show that you have researched and followed expert guidance in order to carry out your role for the animals 
  • full and detailed records that have all the information needed for the specific activities the animals will be used for 
  • understanding of risks involved in caring for the animal, including a very detailed risk assessment, written policies, rules and procedures that are reviewed regularly. These documents should be available for the inspector to see 
  • training procedures in place to make sure staff know what is expected of them, and clear evidence of good supervision of staff 

The premises itself will also be assessed so we can be sure the licence holder can meet the laws relating to the physical environment in which the animals will be kept. 

When calculating the star rating of a premises officers look at both: 

  • the risk rating (based on compliance, complaint history, and management processes) of the premises 
  • animal welfare standards at the premises (based on facilities, staffing, training) 

These 2 factors result in a star rating ranging from 1 to 5 stars. Any premises which is unable to provide 3 years history of compliance is automatically considered high risk and is therefore unable to achieve the higher star ratings. 

The table shows how the star rating is worked out. 

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Star rating 

Risk 

Licence period given 

1 Star 

Low or high risk with minor failings 

1 year 

2 Stars 

High risk but meeting minimum welfare standards 

1 year 

3 Stars 

Low risk and meeting minimum welfare standards - will be given a two-year licence 

2 year 

4 Stars 

High risk but meeting higher welfare standards 

2 year 

5 Stars 

Low risk and meeting higher welfare standards 

3 year 

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