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Animal boarding

On 1 October 2018, the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 came into force. This legislation has changed the way the boarding of dogs and cats is licensed and regulated in relation to:

  • Commercial boarding of dogs and cats (kennels and catteries)
  • Home boarding for dogs
  • Day care for dogs

The new licence will be referred to as an 'Animal Activity Licence'.

Commercial boarding (Kennels and catteries)

Businesses which provide accommodation for other people’s dogs and cats, where the provision of that accommodation is part of or solely the activity of the business, are subject to licensing.

This includes businesses which provide home boarding of cats where the cats are kept in purpose built cattery units and not in the domestic home.

Home boarding for dogs and day care for dogs

The following activities are subject to licensing:

  • Home boarding: Businesses which provide overnight accommodation for dogs in a home environment. This must be inside a domestic home which is not the usual home where the animals are kept, and not in external kennel accommodation
  • Day care for dogs: Businesses which provide daytime accommodation for dogs away from the dogs' normal place of residence and do not keep them overnight. The licensing of day care for dogs is a new provision, and was not licensable prior to 1 October 2018

Out of scope criteria

Activities that fulfil one or more of the following criteria are not subject to licensing:

  • Businesses where accommodation is provided for other people’s cats and dogs, but where the provision of that accommodation is not the purpose of that business, for example, veterinary practices where the accommodation provided is part of the treatment of the animal
  • Home boarding of cats within a domestic setting is not permitted
  • Businesses that look after dogs and/or cats within their normal place of residence (such as dog/cat sitters)

Making an application

On receipt of your application we will arrange to carry out an inspection of all premises where licensable activities are to take place before the application can be determined.

Contact

Licensing service

Municipal buildings, Corporation Street, Blackpool, FY1 1NF
Telephone 01253 478570

The licensing service is available to contact by telephone between 10:00am and 2:00pm Monday to Friday or visit in person by appointment only at the licensing desk at Blackpool Council's Customer First Centre on Corporation Street .