Animal licences

You will need a licence if you run a business that does the following activities:

• Selling animals as pets – application form
• Day care for dogs – application form
• Providing boarding for cats – application form
• Providing boarding in kennels for dogs – application form
• Providing home boarding for dogs – application form
• Hiring out horses – application form
• Breeding dogs – application form
• Keeping or training animals for exhibitions – application form

We strongly recommend that you read through the guidance notes on the available from the Canine and Feline Sector Group.

Changes to animal licensing regulations

In October 2018, new regulations came into force to replace some existing licences as part of The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

With the new regulations during our inspections, we now score the business by examining the overall environment and welfare standards using a matrix. You can see the scoring matrix here.

If you have a current licence, it will continue to be valid until the expiration date. When you renew your licence, you must apply for a licence under the new regulations.

If you are applying for a new licence for breeding dogs, selling animals as pets, hiring out horses or exhibiting animals, we will also arrange a vet inspection.

Riding schools will continue to be inspected by a vet annually.

We will recharge the licence holder for all costs incurred in arranging the inspections.

For a list of all our licence charges, please see our application fees page.

You can find out more information here for:

• Dangerous wild animals
• Zoos
• Appeals and complaints