Licences for animals

Pages in Licences for animals

  1. 1. You are here: Licences for animals
  2. 2. How to apply for an animal licence
  3. 3. Inspections
  4. 4. Star rating and duration of licences
  5. 5. Exotic, dangerous or wild animals

Animal welfare licensing requirements for all but dangerous wild animals were amended on 1 October 2018 by the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (legislation.gov.uk). 

New standards and conditions were introduced for all first time applicants and existing licence holders at renewal.

The following business activities require licensing;

  • Boarding cats or dogs - providing a boarding cattery or boarding in kennels for dogs. This includes home boarding where the cats are kept in purpose built catteries not in the domestic home. 
  • Home boarding - looking after other people’s dogs in your own home, either overnight or in the daytime.
  • Arranging accommodation for cats or dogs and day care for dogs - ie connecting pet owners with people willing to look after their animals. Providing daytime accommodation for dogs away from the dog’s normal place of residence.
  • Breeding dogs - breeding three or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period and/or advertising a business of selling dogs (irrespective of the number of litters).
  • Hiring out horses - keeping horses and hiring them out for riding, or using them for riding lessons.
  • Selling animals as pets - Keeping and selling animals as pets, online or in a shop. Pet animals include any vertebrate animals - fish, amphibian, reptile, bird or mammal.
  • Keeping or training animals for exhibition  educational or entertainment purposes.
  • Exotic, dangerous and wild animals