The Council has adopted an Animal Welfare Licensing Policy. This policy sets out how we license and regulate activities involving animals, and provides important information for licence holders, applicants and members of the public.
The policy includes information on:
- Introduction
- Background
- Service aims and objectives
- The role of operators and licence holders
- Statutory guidance
- Departure from policy
- Organisational arrangements
- Enforcement
- Delegated powers and authorisations
- Useful definitions
- Fees
It also covers licensable activities and the legislative framework, including:
- The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018
- Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976
- Zoo Licensing Act 1981
- The Animal Welfare (Primate Licences) (England) Regulations 2024
Further sections explain the licensing process, including risk scoring, star ratings and the duration of licences, as well as the role of competent officers.
The policy also outlines:
- Safeguarding and complaints processes
- Rights of appeal, including star ratings, re-score visits and licensing decisions
- Appeals to the First-tier Tribunal
- What happens if a licence holder dies (transfer of licence)
It also sets out standards adopted to promote consistency, including:
- Dog breeding
- Day care space requirements
- Rental property checks
- Publication of licence holder details
- Waste collections (including from domestic premises)
- Fit and proper person requirements
For more detailed information, please refer to the Animal Welfare Licensing Policy and DEFRA statutory guidance.
Need further help or information?
Contact the team directly on 01773 570222 or email enquiry@ambervalley.gov.uk
