Issue - meetings

Report number:     CAB/WS/21/049

Portfolio holder: Councillor Andy Drummond

Lead officer: Jen Eves

Resolved:

That the adoption and implementation of the Animal Welfare Licensing Policy Statement, as set out in Appendix B to Report number CAB/WS/21/049, be agreed.

(Report number CAB/WS/21/049)

Councillor Andy Drummond, Portfolio Holder for Regulatory and Environment explained that the new Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 came into force in October 2018 to update old and out-of-date legislation. Licensable activities covered by the new Regulations included:

·         Keeping and training of animals for exhibition – previously a County Council function and included bird of prey displays, animals that have any handling by the public, and non-riding pony parties

·         Hiring of horses – riding schools and donkey rides

·         Selling of pet animals –pet shops and increasingly includes online sales

·         Breeding of dogs – the total number of litters in a year was reduced and sales of high value litters included

·         Boarding kennels for dogs

·         Home boarding for dogs

·         Day care for dogs

·         Boarding for cats

The Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) had issued national guidance for the above activities, as well as procedural guidance for Local Authorities responsible for enforcing the above Regulations. The new Animal Welfare Policy Statement (as set out in Appendix B) had been drafted to recognise and bring together the new 2018 Regulations, the Council’s continued duty under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act and the Zoo Licensing Act, as well as the animal licensing process.  Currently there was no national scheme of licensing caring for pets in the owner’s property or dog walking and these, therefore, fell

outside of the scope of this Policy.

There was a statutory duty to undertake a consultation to gauge impact and opinion amongst stakeholders and this had been held between 19 July 2021 and 31 August 2021.  The responses received to the consultation were set out in Appendix A to the report.

The Policy Statement summarised West Suffolk Council’s approach to licensing animal businesses and activities through animal welfare licences, dangerous wild animal licences and zoo licences. It set out how the Council exercised its functions in relation to animal-related licensing matters under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976, the Zoo Licensing Act 1981, the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.

This included dealing with applications for new licences and issues relating to licensed premises., including, but not limited to:

·         animal boarding establishments for dogs and cats

·         dog breeding

·         pet Shops

·         riding establishments

·         keeping or training animals for exhibition

·         dangerous wild animals

·         zoos

Resolved:

That the adoption and implementation of the Animal Welfare Licensing Policy Statement, as set out in Appendix B to Report number CAB/WS/21/049, be agreed.