Animal Boarding (Cats and Dogs)

Any person offering facilities for looking after cats or dogs away from their owners' home - requires a licence.  We charge licence fees in proportion to the potential number of animals to be boarded.  

Licences have to be renewed every year, on the 1st January. Please phone us to find out if there is a licensed boarder in your area or to make an application.

We apply conditions to all licences, based on national standards (The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health).

The conditions help to protect the welfare of animals by ensuring that any new establishments are built to a high standard, and that all businesses are well maintained and managed.

The conditions were heavily revised in 2000.  Businesses established before the change will have reached agreement with us about reaching the new standards over a period of time.  

We make regular visits to all animal boarders in the district.  And we arrange veterinary inspection of all potential new premises at additional cost for the applicant.  

We may also require a veterinary inspection where obvious animal health or welfare problems are found to exist, or complaints about animal health are received.

Applicants can appeal to the Magistrates Court if we refuse to grant an application, or where we apply unreasonable conditions.

To download an application form, please visit our forms and fact sheets page.

Anyone suffering nuisance due to noise, smells or similar because of a commercial premises should contact the Environmental Protection team to see if we can help (email environmental.health@wychavon.gov.uk, phone 01386 565233).

Grant of a licence doesn't mean that we've given planning permission: consent under town and country planning law may still be required. Please contact our Planning Services on 01386 565565.