The following activities are covered by a single ‘Animal Activity Licence’:
- Animal boarding businesses (including home boarders and day carers, but not dog walking and dog grooming services)
- dog breeders
- pet shops
- riding establishments
- people that keep or train animals for exhibitions.
The conditions are set nationally, under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. They came into force on 1 October 2018 (made under the Animal Welfare Act 2006). They replace previous legislation relating to individual types of animals licences.
You will need to comply with the conditions set out in the regulations. We will check to what extent you meet the requirements before we grant you a licence with a star rating.
Guidance
The Canine and Feline Sector Group website has guidance notes for each activity.
Star ratings
When we review your licence application(s), we will assess your welfare standards to see how you comply with them. We will give you a score between 1 and 5, where 5 is a business with high welfare standards that represent a low risk to animals.
The table below shows the star ratings available to both low risk and high risk businesses. If you are a new applicant you are automatically considered to be high risk.
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Risk level
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Minor failing in welfare standards
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Minimum welfare standards
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Higher welfare standards
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Low risk
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1 star = 1 year licence
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3 stars = 2 year licence
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5 star = 3 year licence
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Higher risk
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1 star = 1 year licence
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2 stars = 1 year licence
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4 starts = 2 year licence
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How long are licences valid for?
When we review your licence application(s), we will assess your welfare standards to see how you comply with them. This will then determine if you get a licence for one, two or three years.
Eligibility
Please look at Schedule 8 of the regulations, it lists people who cannot apply for a licence.
When reviewing your application, we will consider:
- your conduct in running your business
- whether you are a fit and proper person
- any other relevant information.
Apply
As part of the application process, please fill in these forms:
- Standard Introductory Section form
- Declaration form
- The relevant form for each animal activity that you wish to apply for:
Please return your completed application forms, requested documents, and the required application fee to:
Waverley Borough Council
Environmental Health
The Burys
Godalming
Surrey
GU7 1HR
Email: environmentalhealth@waverley.gov.uk
How to pay
You can either:
- send us a cheque, made payable to ‘Waverley Borough Council’, with your application, or
- call us on 01483 523393 to pay by credit or debit card.
Decisions
We usually determine your application within 10 weeks. The process starts when we receive your application and fee.
We do not offer refunds on Part A fees (see below), if we refuse your application.
Fees
Part A fees include:
- processing your application
- one inspection
- general enforcement, admin and training costs.
Part B fees include:
- writing up inspection notes
- determining your rating
- issuing your licence
- an unannounced visit and associated admin
- ongoing liaison with our appointed vet, as required.
Paying for your licence
Part A and B fees apply for the duration of the licence. Eg - if you get a three year licence, you only need to pay this once.
When you apply for a licence you can choose to pay Parts A and B together, or Part A when you apply and Part B when we are ready to issue your licence.
Boarding for dogs and cats – kennels and catteries
You will need to pay this fee for each type of animal boarding you offer. Eg - if your business boards dogs and cats you will need to pay for both. We do offer discounts, please see ‘other fees’ information below to find out more.
- Part A: £453
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £808.30
Boarding for dogs – home boarding (including home boarding arranger licences)
- Part A: £394.00
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £749.30
Boarding for dogs – day care
- Part A: £453
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £808.30
Breeding dogs
- Part A: £394
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £749.30
- Plus vet fees
Selling animals as pets
- Part A: £394
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £749.30
Exhibition of animals
- Part A: £394
- Part B: £355.30
- Total: £749.30
Hiring horses
1 to 8 horses
- Part A: £453
- Part B: £387
- Total: £840
- Plus vet fees
9 to 15 horses
- Part A: £543
- Part B: £384.60
- Total: £927.60
- Plus vet fees
Over 15 horses
- Part A: £625
- Part B: £384.60
- Total: £1,009.60
- Plus vet fees
Other fees
- Additional activities: 50% off (if you conduct more than one activity that needs a licence, you get 50% off the total fee for each additional activity. We will apply the discount to the activity with the smaller fee)
- Each additional inspection / visit: £178
- Each advisory visit: £178
- Variation of licence (including one visit): £237.30
- Re-evaluation of star rating (including one visit) : £237.30
- Changes to reduce the number of licensable activities / numbers of animals: £88.90
- Transfer a licence if licence holder has died: £88.90
Vet inspections – extra charges
- Riding establishments – an appointed vet will inspect your stables every year
- Dog breeding businesses - an appointed vet will inspect your premises when you first apply for your licence.
You will need to pay for the vet fees separately.
Franchises
If the business is a franchise, each establishment will need its own licence.
What if you don’t hold a valid licence
We can fine you and take formal action against you if you run a business with animals, as described above, and don’t have the right licence.
More information
Please contact us if you:
- need advice
- want to make a complaint about a licensed premises
- want to report someone who is operating without the correct licence.
Email: environmentalhealth@waverley.gov.uk
Tel: 01483 523393