Licences

The keeping and running of animal boarding establishments (Catteries and Kennels) is controlled by the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. No person may keep a boarding establishment for animals without a licence from their local authority. Day boarding and home boarding refers to a business that provides accommodation for such animals. The number of dogs and cats that may be accommodated will be specified on the licence along with other specific conditions.

Any person or organisation that supplies animals as pets to persons in Scotland that have been sourced for that purpose from either within or outwith Scotland must, subject to a few exceptions, be licenced. An example would be a person or organisation that sources street or rescue dogs from Eastern Europe for the purposes of rehoming them with persons in Scotland.

Any persons or organisations operating animal welfare establishments (such as animal sanctuaries or animal rehoming centres) where 8 animals (excluding fish) or 5 dogs or 5 equines are kept at the same time by the operator of the animal welfare establishment must be licenced.

Any person breeding 3 or more litters of kittens in any 12 month period must be licensed. The requirement to be licensed applies whether the breeder sells or otherwise supplies a kitten as a pet to another person.

A licence is required if you wish to keep and house a dangerous wild animal.

Any person breeding 3 or more litters of puppies in any 12 month period must be licensed. The requirement to be licensed applies whether the breeder sells or otherwise supplies a puppy as a pet to another person. The requirement to be licensed does not apply however to the breeding of dogs where the offspring are intended to be trained and used as assistance dogs.

To ensure that the quality of animal feed is maintained by using appropriate storage and transport arrangements. The Feed (Hygiene and Enforcement) (Scotland) Regulations 2005 require feed businesses to register with Food Standards Scotland.

If you exhibit, use or train performing animals, in England, Wales or Scotland, you must be registered with your local authority.

Any person breeding 6 or more litters of kits in any 12 month period must be licensed. The requirement to be licensed applies whether the breeder sells or otherwise supplies a kit to be kept as a pet to another person. The requirement to be licensed as a rabbit breeder does not apply where a person is breeding rabbits for the purposes of personal consumption or in the course of commercial meat production.

To run a riding establishment (where horses or ponies are hired out for riding or used for riding instruction) in England, Scotland or Wales, you need a licence from the local authority.

Any person or organisation selling animals as pets (or with the expectation of their being later resold as pets) in the course of a business including keeping animals in the course of a business with a view to their being so sold or resold.

The Deer (Scotland) Act 1996 requires that all those that deal in venison in Scotland must be licensed. It is an offence for any person to sell, offer or expose for sale venison unless they are a licensed venison dealer or selling to or has purchased from a licensed venison dealer.