The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals)(England) Regulations 2018 came in to force on 1 October 2018. This new legislation reforms animal welfare licensing which includes:
- the boarding of dogs,
- home boarding of dogs,
- dog day care,
- breeding dogs,
- boarding cats,
- the sale of animals,
- hiring horses and
- keeping or training animals for performance
Those businesses operating under existing licences will be able to continue to do so until the expiry of their current licence.
The definitions of existing licensable activities has been amended and in addition to this new licensable activities have been added.
A single licence known as an 'Animal Activity Licence' will be issued, with nationally set licence conditions which applies to them
When an application is received Bassetlaw District Council Officer will carry out an inspection to check compliance with the conditions. Businesses will be given a star rating ranging from 1 to 5 stars, this star rating will be listed on the licence.
Safeguards to ensure fairness to businesses, include an appeal procedure and requesting a re-inspection for the purpose of re-rating when improvement has been made.
The outcome of the inspection and the star rating determines the length of the licence from one to three years (except in the case of keeping/training animals for exhibition which must always be granted for three years).
How do I apply, and what are the fees?
Application forms
You can apply for a licence for:
- Breeding and sale of dogs
- Hiring out horses
- Keep or train animals for exhibition
- Sell animals as pets
- Board animals
Fill in our request a licensing application form and select the animal activity licence you require from the list.
Fees and Charges
Zoo
Zoo (5 yearly) - 443.00
Dog breeding
Application Fee - New Application - £368.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £260.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £267.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £406.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £536.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £108.00
Hiring of Horses
Application Fee - New Application - £276.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £218.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £167.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £225.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £285.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £69.00
Animals for Exhibition
Application Fee - New Application - £288.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £192.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £273.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £108.00
Kennels for Dogs
Application Fee - New Application - £256.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £188.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £282.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £402.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £521.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £108.00
Day-care for Dogs
Application Fee - New Application - £211.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £189.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £214.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £298.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £385.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £73.00
Home Boarding (Dogs and Cats)
Application Fee - New Application - £247.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £190.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £208.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £276.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £344.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £74.00
Selling Pets
Application Fee - New Application - £247.00
Application Fee - Renewal - £198.00
1 Year Licence Fee - £212.00
2 Year Licence Fee - £282.00
3 Year Licence Fee - £353.00
Re-Inspection Fee - £77.00
Applies to all Animal Licensing Activities
Variation Minor - 10% off licence cost
Variation Major - 40% off licence cost
Additional Activities - Pay highest priced activity then pay 40% of all additional activities
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens to my current licence
It will stay in force until it expires, by which time you will need to have a licence granted under the new scheme to be able to continue to trade lawfully
What changes are being made
The new scheme will incorporate “earned recognition” into the animal licensing system. This means Bassetlaw District Council will be able to issue licences of 1, 2 or 3 years’ duration. Longer licences will be given to high performing, low risk businesses.
Businesses will be “star rated” from between 1 and 5 stars. A 1-star rating will mean a 1-year licence with a 5-star rating meaning a 3-year licence.
When the Council issue your licence we will be required to write to you explaining how your rating was determined and if you are not happy with your rating (for a fee) you will be able to apply for a re-inspection in order to improve it
We will also be able to issue licences at any point in the year rather than as now where the majority of licences expire on 31 December regardless of when issued.
You will be able to have a number of separate licensing activities on the one licence.
National conditions will be applied to all licences issued. There will be general conditions which will be applicable to all licences and specific conditions which will be tailored to each individual licensable activity.
Why are these changes happening
In order to streamline the licensing process and to ensure that animal welfare provisions are applied consistently nationwide
I have a Preforming Animal Registration with the County Council, do I have to do anything?
Yes. Your Registration will expire automatically on 1 April 2019. If you wish it to continue you will need to apply under the new scheme at least 10 weeks prior to that date. Your new licence will last for a 3-year period and you will not therefore be “star rated”.
Last Updated on Tuesday, August 8, 2023