An animal boarding licence is needed for providing or arranging provision of boarding for cats or dogs - this includes dog kennel boarding, cat boarding, home boarding for dogs and day care for dogs

Conditions and guidance

The Gov.UK statutory conditions and guidance for:-

• Home boarding for dogs licensing
• Dog kennel boarding licensing
• Dog day care licensing
• Cat boarding licensing

Fees

Running a kennel or cattery licensing fees

Licensing activity	Cost for consideration of application	1 year licence fee	2 year licence fee	3 year licence fee
The home boarding of dogs	£221.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Day care for dogs	£246.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Combined home boarding of dogs & commercial day care for dogs	£303.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Combined home boarding of dogs & a cattery	£352.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Providing boarding in Kennels for dogs	£246.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Providing boarding in Kennels for dogs (25+ dogs)	£262.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Providing boarding for cats	£246.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Providing boarding for cats (25+ cats)	£262.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Combined kennel & cattery	£311.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00

Application and self-assessment forms

• Animal boarding establishments application form
• Providing home boarding for dogs self-assessment form
• Providing boarding for dogs in kennels self-assessment form
• Providing commercial day care for dogs self-assessment form
• Providing boarding for cats in catteries self-assessment form

A dog breeding licence is needed if you breed or sell dogs as a business.

Conditions and guidance

The Gov.UK statutory conditions and guidance for:-

• Dog breeding licensing

Fees

Dog breeding licensing fees

Licensing activity	Cost for consideration of application	1 year licence fee	2 year licence fee	3 year licence fee
Breeding Dogs (excluding Vet fees)	£274.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Breeding of dogs (renewal)	£253.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00

A vet inspection is also needed. The fees for the inspection are set by the vet.

Application and self-assessment forms

• Apply for a licence to operate a dog breeding establishment
• Submit a dog breeding self-assessment

A horse riding establishments licence is needed to hire out horses or donkeys for riding or riding instruction.

Conditions and guidance

The Gov.UK statutory conditions and guidance for:-

• Hiring out horses licensing

Fees

A vet inspection is also needed. The fees for the inspection are set by the vet. An inspection will take place each year for the duration of the licence.

Horse riding establishments licensing fees

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application	1 year licence fee	2 year licence fee	3 year licence fee
Hiring of horses	£287.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00

Application and self-assessment forms

• Hiring out of horses application form
• Hiring out of horses self-assessment form

A performing animals licence is needed for mobile animal exhibits which visit schools, parties and fairs.

Conditions and guidance

The Gov.UK statutory conditions and guidance for:-

• Keeping or training animals for exhibition licensing

Fees

Keeping or training animal for exhibition licensing fees

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application	3 year licence fee
Keeping or training animal for exhibition	£246.00	£1650.00

Application and self-assessment forms

• Keeping or training animals for exhibition application form
• Keeping or training animals for exhibition self-assessment form

A pet shop licence is needed if you want to run a business selling animals as pets. This includes:

• commercial selling of pet animals including pet shops
• businesses selling animals over the internet

Conditions and guidance

The Gov.UK statutory conditions and guidance for:-

• Selling animals as pets licensing

Fees

Selling animals as pets licensing fees

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application	1 year licence fee	2 year licence fee	3 year licence fee
Selling animals as pets (single species)	£262.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00
Selling animals as pets (multiple species)	£328.00	£550.00	£1100.00	£1650.00

Application and self-assessment forms

• Selling animals as pets application form
• Selling animals as pets self-assessment form

A licence must be obtained before keeping a dangerous wild animal or setting up a zoo.

Zoos

Zoo Licensing Act 1981

The legislation is complex so in order to clarify whether you need a licence, you should contact the Animal Health Team.

Dangerous Wild Animals

Keeping certain species of wild animals is controlled by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and require a licence.

Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976

Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (Modification) (No. 2) Order 2007

Legislative Reform (Dangerous Wild Animals) (Licensing) Order 2010

Kinds of Dangerous Wild Animals

Fees

Zoos and dangerous wild animals licensing fees

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application
Dangerous Wild Animal Licence	£1100.00

Application and self-assessment forms

• Apply for a licence or renewal to keep dangerous wild animals

• Licensing rating appeal application form

Fees

Request for re-inspection licensing fees - June 2023

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application
Request for re-inspection	£246.00

• Licensing re-inspection request application form

Fees

Variation to a licence licensing fees - June 2023

Licensing Activity	Cost for consideration of application
Minor variation of licence	£37.00
Major variation of licence	See appropriate consideration of application
Franchise model	Price on application

• Variation to a licence application form

Every licenced boarding kennel, cattery, dog home boarding, dog day care, pet sales, dog breeding and riding establishment is given a star rating ranging from 1 to 5 stars. The licence for keeping or training animals for exhibition is not included in the rating system.

The star rating is determined by a risk-based scoring system. It takes into account both the animal welfare standards adopted by the business and their level of risk. This is based on elements such as past compliance.

In order to calculate the length of the licence and associated star rating the following questions are addressed based on the inspection and on records of past compliance:

1. Does the business meet the minimum standards (licence conditions)?
2. Does the business meet the higher standards?
3. Is the business low or higher risk?

Scoring matrix

Risk	Minor welfare failings (existing businesses failing to meet minimum standards)	Minimum welfare standards	Higher welfare standards
Low	1 star 1 year licence	3 stars 2 year licence	5 stars 3 year licence
Higher	1 star 1 year licence	2 stars 1 year licence	4 stars 2 year licence

The welfare standards are those set out in the regulations and guidance to the regulations. All businesses should meet the minimum standards to get a licence and therefore receive a 2 or 3 rating. However, minor failings that do not compromise the welfare of animals, e.g. administrative issues, may allow for a licence but with a rating of 1 star.

The guidance to the Regulations are specific to the type of activity and include a number of higher standards which businesses may aspire to in order to receive a higher standard rating as these are not mandatory in order to obtain a licence. The higher standards are divided into required and optional, a business needs to meet all the required higher standards and a minimum of 50% of the optional higher standards to qualify as meeting the higher standards.

All new and current businesses without three years previous compliance history with a local authority will be automatically rated high risk.

List of licenced star rated establishments

• The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 - Star Ratings

Under Regulation 13 of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, local authorities can charge fees for:

• considering an application, including any inspections
• compliance checks on existing licence holders, this includes the costs of inspections
• enforcement costs against an unlicensed operator doing licensable activities
• compiling and submitting data needed by the Secretary of State

Prior to setting our fees we have consulted the following documents to ensure our fees are reasonable and fair:

• Open for business: LGA guidance on locally set licence fees
• Complying with Provision of Services Regulations for businesses and Competent Authorities
• Regulators' Code
• Local Government Animal Welfare Group

Our Fees have been calculated as follows:

• Consideration of application fee- The cost of processing the application, including the initial inspection and through to determination
• Licence fee- The cost of running and enforcement of the licensing activity, including complaint investigations and any mid-term inspection visits

Vet inspection and associated fees, apply in addition to the above with respect to the initial inspection of dog breeding establishments and annually for Hiring of Horses.

The consideration of application fee and vet inspection fees are non-refundable should your application be unsuccessful. The Licence fee is only payable upon granting of a licence.

Review

Our fees are reviewed each year to ensure the fee setting process remains valid, and the correct charges have been applied. Any efficiency savings from this review will be applied directly back to the licence holder through a reduction in the licence fee.