Animal Licensing Policy

1. While any animal(s) is/are being kept under the authority of the Licence:-

(i) the animal(s) shall be kept by no person other than the person or persons specified;

(ii) the animal(s) shall normally be held at such premises as are specified;

(iii) the animal(s) shall not be moved from those premises except in the following circumstances, namely, transport for veterinary treatment, sale, or other activities agreed by the Council separately below.

(iv) the person to whom the Licence is granted shall hold a current insurance policy which insures them and any other person entitled to keep the animal under the authority of the Licence against liability for any damage which may be caused by the animal, the terms of such policy being satisfactory in the opinion of the authority.

2. The species and number of animals of each species, which may be kept under the authority of the Licence, shall be restricted to those specified in the Licence.

3. The person to whom the Licence is granted shall at all reasonable times make available a copy of the Licence to any persons entitled to keep any animal under the authority of the Licence.

4. No alteration shall be made to the premises in which the animals are kept without the prior consent of the Council. The animals to be kept only in the part(s) of the premises for which approval has been given.

5. The person to whom the licence is granted shall ensure that all reasonable precautions are taken;

a) to protect the safety of public; and

b) to ensure that no nuisance is caused to the public.

6. Any animal which is being kept under the authority of the Licence shall be:

a) held in accommodation with a double locking entry system which secures that the animal will not escape, which is suitable as regards construction, size, temperature, lighting, ventilation, drainage, cleanliness and which is suitable for the number of animals proposed to be held in the accommodation; and

b) supplied with adequate and suitable food, drink and bedding material. The animal(s) should be inspected by a competent person at least daily or as often as specified in writing by the local authority authorised vet inspector. Any abnormal observations must be reported to the licence holder AND recorded in a daily diary.

c) able to take adequate exercise and exhibit normal behaviour whilst in the accommodation at the premises in which they will normally be held

7. A written emergency protocol must be in place, setting out appropriate steps to be taken for the protection of animals in case of fire or other emergency. This must include measures to be taken for the evacuation of the animals should the accommodation become uninhabitable. The evacuation procedure must be clearly displayed on the premises and staff must be familiar with it.

8. Suitable firefighting, prevention and detection equipment must be provided and maintained in good working order.

9. Where appropriate for the species kept under this licence, a sufficient number of secure and lockable pet carriers must be available at all times for use when transporting animals for any reason, including emergency evacuation. These carriers must have a sign stating, “dangerous wild animal” and include the species common name. Where transport in a vehicle does occur, the carriers must remain locked and the vehicle must be secure and attended at all times.

10. There must be a written escaped animal protocol that all staff are familiar with. This must be displayed in an easily accessible area so that it is visible to anyone working closely with the animals.

11. All escapes must be notified to the Local Authority within 24 hours.

12. A suitably qualified veterinarian, with demonstrable relevant experience of the species covered by the licence, must be engaged to provide advice to the licence holder and care for the animals.

13. All reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases. There must be preventative healthcare programme in place according to veterinary advice. Records of any health checks should be made available to an authorised officer of the licensing authority if requested

14. A preventative programme of pest control should be carried out to ensure no entry of rodent or bird vermin.

15. Any breeding of animals must be planned and must be within the limits on number of animals of the species permitted on the licence. Breeding control methods must be in place where needed. The local authority must be notified within 7 days of animals being born unless other dispensation is provided by the Council.

16. At all times, the animal(s) shall be in the charge of a suitably experienced person, capable of controlling them. That person shall not be less than 18 years of age.

17. The licence holder and his agent(s) shall comply with any reasonable instructions in respect of an animal, given by an authorised officer of this Council or the Council in whose area that animal is, and shall provide a copy of this Licence for the information of the said authorised officer.

18. Copies should be retained of all DWA licences for a period of at least six years.

Optional condition if permitting animals to travel to other sites under this licence

The movement of any animal shall be notified to the Licensing Authority in advance where possible, but at least within 72 hours. This need not be in writing but must include:

a) the destination;

b) the local authority of the destination;

c) the anticipated duration of stay;

d) the transportation method and vehicles; and

e) species and numbers of animals involved.

NOTES

1. Where:-

(a) a person is aggrieved by the refusal of a local authority to grant a licence under this Act, or

(b) a person to whom such a licence has been granted is aggrieved by a condition of the licence (whether specified at the time the licence is granted or later) or by the variation or revocation of any condition of the licence

he may appeal to a Magistrates’ Court; and the court may on such appeal give such directions with respect to the grant of a licence or, as the case may be, with respect to the conditions of the licence as it thinks proper, having regard to the provisions of this Act.

2. Any person guilty of an offence under any provision of this Act shall be liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding £5,000.