Pay an animal activity licence fee
COVID-19 update: Regulation 9 of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 allows the local authority to vary licences by extending the licence period for 3 months, where necessary, during this emergency period. Licence holders must make this request by emailing licensing@enfield.gov.uk before the current licence period expires.
Under new laws, an animal activity licence now covers:
- animal boarding businesses (including home boarders and day carers)
- dog breeders
- pet shops
- riding establishments
An animal activity licence has new conditions for businesses providing animal-related services.
Businesses operating with the above activities will be assessed to make sure they comply with the conditions before a licence is given. An inspector will apply a risk rating and award stars for compliance with licence conditions. Low-risk premises can be awarded up to 5 stars, and high-risk premises up to 4 stars. The risk rating and stars determine whether applicants must renew their licence in 1, 2 or 3 years.
Businesses can continue operating under current licences until it expires. They will need to apply to renew their licence under the new laws, 10 weeks before the renewal date.
If a business provides more than one activity involving animals, they will be issued with a single risk rating. Stars will be based on the activities with the highest risk and lowest stars.
If the business makes improvements to issues in the assessment, they can request a re-inspection for an additional fee.
A business with a lower star rating is not necessarily one to avoid, as there are other factors we consider, including how long the licence holder has been operating. New businesses are assessed as slightly higher risk because there is no history of good practice.
It is a criminal offence to run unlicensed activities involving animals. If convicted you could be liable for imprisonment up to 51 weeks and/or a fine of up to £5,000.
Animal boarding
You need a licence to look after cats or dogs, whether commercially or at home. For guidance on boarding for cats or dogs, home boarding or day care for dogs, visit Canine and Feline Sector Group.
Apply for commercial boarding licence (PDF, 104.26 KB)
Apply for day care licence (PDF, 103.71 KB)
Apply for home boarding licence (PDF, 103.49 KB)
Dog breeding
You need a licence if you breed 3 or more litters of puppies in any 12-month period, or breed dogs and advertise a business selling dogs. For guidance on dog breeding, visit Canine and Feline Sector Group.
Apply for a dog breeding licence (PDF, 105.9 KB)
Hiring out horses
You need a licence if your business hires out horses for riding or riding lessons. This includes:
- riding schools
- trekking
- loan horses
- pony parties (only where the ponies are ridden)
- hunter hirelings
- polo and polocrosse instruction and pony hire
- pony and donkey rides
For guidance on hiring out horses, visit Canine and Feline Sector Group.
Apply for a hiring out horses licence (PDF, 112.55 KB)
Performing and exhibiting animals
You need a licence if your business keeps or trains animals for exhibition, either for education or entertainment, where there is an audience or the animals are visually recorded for display. For guidance on keeping or training animals for exhibition, visit Canine and Feline Sector Group.
Apply for a performing/exhibiting animals licence (PDF, 109.87 KB)
Application for pet shops
You need a licence if your business sells animals as pets, this includes selling animals to someone else for them to sell. For guidance on selling animals as pets, visit Canine and Feline Sector Group.
Apply to sell animals as pets (PDF, 205.54 KB)
For more information see:
- our licensing fees page
- our online register
- GOV.UK for rules about establishments for activities involving animals