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Animal licensing
If you are a running a business which makes a profit for animal boarding, breeding, exhibiting animals, horse riding or selling animals, you will require a licence.
Once an application has been submitted to the local council, we will arrange to carry out an inspection of your premises. The inspector will be looking at the welfare of the animals and how this is maintained through the business's practices. The inspector will ask to see all paperwork setting out the business policies, procedures and staff training and will want to see the animals and their living environment.
It is anticipated that the inspection will take between 1-2hours. An experienced local authority officer will carry out the inspections. For horse riding and dog breeding the local authority officer will be accompanied by a vet.
A licence to exhibit animals will be granted for 3 years. All other licences will be granted with a licence for 1 to 3 years depending on the star rating awarded after inspection.
Star ratings
The inspecting officer will carry out a risk rating of the business based on compliance history, the applicant's knowledge of the animals in their care and their ability to demonstrate their practices and staff training. The inspector will be looking at the animals and their living environment giving consideration to the conditions issued by DEFRA. The overall score will determine the star rating and the length of licence.
These qualifications are currently being developed and will be available to find online shortly.
You can submit a written appeal within 21 days of the rating being issued to the licensing authority and request a re-inspection. Any re-inspection will be at the cost to the applicant. Businesses disputing their star rating are encouraged to discuss this informally with the inspecting officer first so that there is an opportunity to help explain to the business how the rating was worked out.
No not necessarily. There are many factors to take into consideration when rating a business; for instance, a new business with no history will initially be considered high risk and therefore unable to attain the highest rating.
Not necessarily. If standards have fallen since the previous inspection, a lower rating may be given.
Your star rating will appear on your licence, which must be displayed in a prominent place in the premises and be listed on any website used. The local authority will also have a public register online listing all licensed business and their most recent rating.
Accessibility - If you are unable to download any of the application forms/document on this page or require a paper version please contact us on 0300 456 0107 or email at publicprotectionwest@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) and we will contact you to assist you with your application.
Changes have been made to the sale of puppies and kittens in the UK. From 6 April 2020, it has become illegal to sell puppies and kittens from pet shops and other commercial third party dealers.
Since October 2018, the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals)(England)(Amendment) Regulations 2019 requires any person who carries out the business of selling puppies and kittens as pets to hold a licence. From April 2020 this will be amended so that puppies and kittens (cats under 6 months old) may only be sold as pets if they have been bred by the licence holder.
The Government introduced a significant change with the Licensing of Activities Involving Animals and below you will find the application forms and guidance documents to assist businesses in meeting the new requirements set out under those Regulations. The guidance documents have been updated since first issued.
The current regulations took effect on 1 October 2018. All previous animal legislation relating to dog boarding, dog breeding, sale of pets, hiring out horses and exhibiting animals ceased from this date.
The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have issued procedural guidance notes (opens new window) for the licensing of activities involving animals under these Regulations.
Accessibility - If you are unable to download any of the application forms/document on this page or require a paper version please contact us on 0300 456 0107 or email at publicprotectionwest@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window) and we will contact you to assist you with your application.
Animal boarding
Applications can only be made by individuals.
Refer to the relevant guidance document and pre-inspection information prior to submitting an application. Once completed, the application form should be submitted with the application fee and supporting documents and sent to the address on the form. Alternatively, you can email the completed application - details are to be found on the form.
If you have been a licensed home boarder for the last 10 years we will take your compliance history into consideration when the rating is issued. The highest number of stars will be issued to businesses that comply with the conditions and are able to demonstrate that they fulfil all of the required higher standards plus 50% of the optional higher standards. The level 3 qualification falls under the optional higher standards.
Pre-inspection audit for boarding cats (PDF, 179 KB)(opens new window) This pre-inspection audit does not list all of the licence conditions and guidance. You must refer to the Defra guidance in full. This is a Yes/No exercise to ensure that you have the necessary procedures in place to meet the minimum standards, in advance of your licensing inspection. This is not a mandatory document, but aims to assist you in your preparation.
Pre-inspection audit for dog day care (PDF, 176 KB)(opens new window) This pre-inspection audit does not list all of the licence conditions and guidance. You must refer to the Defra guidance in full. This is a Yes/No exercise to ensure that you have the necessary procedures in place to meet the minimum standards, in advance of your licensing inspection. This is not a mandatory document, but aims to assist you in your preparation.
I run a dog crèche at home. I need to pop out to collect my children from school, is this allowed?
Under the new legislation dogs cannot be left unattended at any time in a crèche. If you need to leave the property, you must ensure that there is a suitably qualified/experienced member of staff available.
Under the new Act, each dog must be able to have its own designated room. This must be a proper room with its own window. Dogs from the same household will also need to have a room each. Bedrooms can be used, as long as they are not occupied by children under the age of 16. The room must have enough space for the dog to move around freely and without hazards.
Pre-inspection audit for home boarding dogs (PDF, 191 KB)(opens new window) This pre-inspection audit does not list all of the licence conditions and guidance. You must refer to the Defra guidance in full. This is a Yes/No exercise to ensure that you have the necessary procedures in place to meet the minimum standards, in advance of your licensing inspection. This is not a mandatory document, but aims to assist you in your preparation.
Pre-inspection audit for boarding dogs in kennels (PDF, 72 KB)(opens new window) This pre-inspection audit does not list all of the licence conditions and guidance. You must refer to the Defra guidance in full. This is a Yes/No exercise to ensure that you have the necessary procedures in place to meet the minimum standards, in advance of your licensing inspection. This is not a mandatory document, but aims to assist you in your preparation.
An arranger licence is required by a business or company who arrange the boarding of animals with host families. An application must be made to each Local Authority that the business or company has host facilities located in.
In Wiltshire, the arranger application form needs to be completed and submitted with the relevant fee.
The arranger's licence (franchise holder) will be "star rated", this will be dependent on the lowest rated licensable (in scope) host family linked to the business/company, this will also determine the length of the licence.
If a business has no licensable host families operating in Wiltshire, just out of scope hosts families, then the arranger licence will be granted for a period of 12 months without a star rating.
An arranger's renewal application, accompanied by any required documentation and renewal fee must be submitted prior to the expiry of the existing licence.
Each Host Family will be required to complete an application form
Host families that are in scope (licensable) will be required to submit an application form "For a Licence to Operate an Animal Boarding Establishment" and go through the due process to be granted a licence.
Licensed host families will be subject to at least one unannounced inspection during the duration of their licence and further inspections/visits should complaints be received.
Host families deemed out of scope (receiving only minimal expenses) and therefore not licensable need to complete and submit the "Host Family Notification" form alongside the required fee and legal declaration. The fee payable is a one off cost as long as the host family remain out of scope, as these premises are "out of scope" they will not receive a star rating.
Host families out of scope will be inspected to ensure they meet the requirements of the legislation and the company/business advised whether the Wiltshire Council considers the host accommodation meets the conditions.
Host families (out of scope) maybe revisited/inspected if complaints or concerns are received by Wiltshire Council that the host accommodation is failing to meet the conditions set out in the regulations.
All policies and procedures supplied to franchise host families should be site specific and host families fully aware of their content.
If you wish to add a new horse to your licensed activity of "Hiring out horses" you must pay the Licensing Authority a fee to vary the licence. The fee to vary a licence depends on the star rating your premises has been awarded, see Fees and charges. It is a legal requirement that all horses used for the activity must be included on the schedule of horses attached to your licence.
If during a Local authority inspection a horse is deemed to be unfit for work, a suitably qualified vet must examine the horse and complete the RCVS Riding Establishment Inspections (opens new window) 'Template statement of fitness to Return to Work', before the horse is permitted to return to work.
Yes, you can and a minor change fee of £25 is required to do so.
You must also provide evidence that a vet has deemed the new horse as fit for the purpose for which they will be used. The licence must then be amended by Wiltshire Council; also advise which horse is being removed from your licence.
We will send an email confirmation and issue a new licence. The horse cannot be used in a lesson or by the public until you have received the email confirmation. Allow five working days for us to process any requests.
There is no limit to the number of re-inspections, however there will be a charge for each inspection. You will need to submit the request in writing and detail what actions you have taken to improve the level of compliance or the standard of welfare for the animals since the previous inspection.
No. If there is no evidence provided or the case made by the business is unsubstantiated, the local authority can refuse.
If the business disagrees with the outcome of the appeal, they can challenge the local authority's decision by means of judicial review.
The welfare standards are those set out in the regulations and guidance. All businesses should meet the standards to get a licence and therefore receive a 2 or 3-star rating. However, minor failings that do not compromise the welfare of animals, such as minor administrative issues, may allow for a licence but with a rating of 1 star.
The guidance to the regulations includes a number of higher standards which businesses may aspire to in order to receive a higher standard rating. These are divided into required and optional. A business needs to meet all the required higher standards and 50% of the optional ones to qualify as meeting higher standards.
The higher standards are specific to the type of activity but in general relate to things like level of qualifications, exercise/enrichment availability and staff ratios. Those achieving higher standards will get a rating of 4 or 5 stars.
The council takes the welfare of animals very seriously and will investigate any complaints relating to unlicensed premises or where the conditions of the licence are not being met. For other animal welfare concerns, the responsible authority can vary between the police, council or RSPCA depending on who has the relevant legal power.
Each licence has specific conditions that the operator is required to meet before being granted a licence. There is also a star rating system that reflects how well the operator meets the licence conditions. More details can be found on the Animal Licensing page.
The licence requirements are complex and there are circumstances where the activity falls 'out of scope' of requiring a licence. This means that not all operators require a licence from their local authority.
You can let us know if you have concerns about a licensed animal business or think that someone is carrying out an activity without a licence. We can only investigate issues that are covered by a licence condition or if they are operating without a licence.
If you consider that an unlicensed activity is taking place then we need evidence of that the activity such as photographs, links to web pages which clearly indicate breeding and selling of dogs, animals being advertised for sale or advertising the service of boarding or horse riding. In some circumstances we may need a signed witness statement that can be used in court if necessary. Information can be sent to publicprotectionnorth@wiltshire.gov.uk (opens new window).
If insufficient details are supplied, we will not be able to investigate. Not all operators will meet the threshold to require to be licensed depending on the activity they are carrying out.
Consumer complaint
In the case of boarding, dog breeding or pet sale licences, we cannot seek compensation for any vet fees or outlay regarding the animal itself. If this is the nature of your complaint, then we would always advise that you first contact the trader, or you can go through Citizens Advice: Contact the consumer helpline (opens new window).
Animal welfare complaints
Introduction
A wide range of organisations respond to calls from members of the public about different animal welfare problems and it can be very confusing to know who to report different problems to. This includes the police, local authorities, the RSPCA and Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA), but also includes social landlords and council teams whose primary responsibilities are not animal issues (such as social services). Different bodies have different responsibilities, and some have statutory powers to be able to take action. To ensure the best course of action is taken for an individual animal it is important that the right agency is contacted in the first instance.
Issue
Concerned about how a pet animal is being cared for or treated but do not think it is actually suffering. Report this to the RSPCA (opens new window). Try and provide as much information as possible.
An animal emergency, for example an animal has been left in a vehicle on a warm day, or where an animal is being beaten there and then, or other situations where urgent assistance is needed. Contact the police on 999 for urgent assistance. The RSPCA can assist but due to limited resources may not be able to attend as quickly as needed or have the statutory powers to assist the animal.
Other cruelty situation where an animal has been cruelly treated, had its tail docked or has been poisoned, but urgent assistance is not needed. Contact the RSPCA (opens new window). The police may be able to assist with this too.
Concerns about animal fighting. Contact the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999. The police may be able to assist with this also.
Dog related complaints
Dog owners have a range of specific responsibilities under various pieces of legislation. These range from clearing up dog faeces through to preventing their dog from straying and keeping their dog under control so that it does not pose a risk to the public or other animals.
Issue
If you see an owner of a dog not clear up after them when out for a walk. Information on how to report this is given on Dog Wardens - Strays and lost dogs.
If you find a stray dog or believe your dog has gone missing. Information on how to report this is given on Wiltshire Councils website Dog Wardens - Strays and lost dogs. Neither the police nor the RSPCA have responsibility for this.
If you are concerned about the behaviour of a dog or have been involved in an incident where you were attacked by a dog. You should report any incidents of where a dog is posing a risk to public safety to Wiltshire Police. You should report any incident where a dog attacks another animal to Wiltshire Police.
If you are concerned that a dog may be a prohibited type, such as a pit bull terrier. If you are concerned about such a dog, you should report this to Wiltshire Police in the first instance as they have specially trained officers called Dog Legislation Officers who can assist.
If you are concerned that puppies or other pet animals are being imported illegally. You should report this to Wiltshire Councils Animal Health Team through Animal trade and licensing.
If you are arrested by the police and taken into custody and you have an animal at home or elsewhere. If you are taken to court and there is a likelihood that you may be sent to prison. If you have no family or friends who can care for your pet you should let the police know this is the case. The police are obliged to take responsibility for prisoner's property. It is essential you discuss the care of your pet with family and/or friends beforehand to identify someone who can care for your pet. There are no other bodies who can assist you with this.
If you or someone you know is taken into hospital and have a pet. See if there are any friends or family who can assist otherwise contact Wiltshire Council Social Services department and ask for their help.
You can no longer keep your pet. If you cannot find a responsible family member or friend to take on your pet who can take care of the animal properly then contact a responsible re-homing organisation in your area to see advice and see if they can help you. If you cannot find a re-homing centre to take your pet, then you should discuss the possibility of euthanasia of your pet with a vet. If you decide to have your pet put to sleep no one other than a vet should do this.
Other animals and issues
Issue
You are concerned about the health and welfare of farm livestock. You should report your concerns to Wiltshire Council Animal Health Team in the first instance through Livestock health and welfare. The RSPCA may also be a further point to report such concerns.
You see an animal on a road or highway. If an animal is on a major road or highway, then report this to the police or National Highways (opens new window). If an animal is on a minor road, then report this to Wiltshire Police.
You find an injured animal beside the road. If you find an injured animal beside the road you should report this to the RSPCA on 0300 1234 999.
You are concerned about the welfare of some horses you have seen. If you are concerned about the welfare of a horse, please contact the RSPCA (opens new window).
You have found a sick or injured wild animal or bird. If you find an injured or sick wild animal, you should report this to the RSPCA (opens new window). You may be asked if you can assist by taking the animal to your local vet.
You are concerned someone is illegally trapping or killing wild animals or birds. If you are concerned about wild animals being killed or trapped illegally or inhumanely, or non-target animals being trapped/killed, call the RSPCA (opens new window) and/or the police (who have specially trained wildlife officers). If you think animals are being trapped or released without the necessary licences, contact Natural England.
You are concerned about wild animals in a circus. You should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) who have a statutory responsibility to licence all circuses with wild animals in them. You may also want to contact the RSPCA (opens new window).
You are concerned about a licensed animal establishment or activity, for example, a dog boarding establishment or the keeping of a dangerous wild animal, please see the information for animal licensing complaints above. If you have any concerns about the welfare of animals in such premises, you can also report this to the RSPCA (opens new window).
You have found dead farm livestock. You should report this to Wiltshire Councils Animal Health Team.
You have hit an animal, for example a dog or horse, whilst driving along a motorway or other public road and killed it. You must report it to the police or National Highways in the first instance. The relevant local authority will remove the animal.
Frequently Asked Questions
No, the regulations do not permit transfers of any licences held under the regulations and a new application will need to be submitted in a timely fashion to ensure there is no gap in your ability to operate under a licence.
The new legislation stipulates that no more than 6 dogs can be walked by one person at a time for home boarding. If you also have a dog walking business, you will need to walk these dogs at a different time.
Yes. The applicant will need to consider the safety of both the animals and the children in the house. The applicant will need to provide a written risk assessment.
