Animal Boarding/Home Boarding of Dogs

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The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (England) Regulations 2018 requires any person who operates a business of boarding dogs or cats to be licensed by the local authority. This also applies to individuals who look after other peoples dogs within their own home (home boarding).

The Government has published statutory guidance for each licensable animal activity, setting out all of the licence conditions that must be met for a licence to be granted. The guidance also advises on who does or does not require a licence.

Other matters to be considered are:

whether you will require planning permission for change of use or for building the necessary accommodation
the disposal of waste and litter
the potential for nuisance to neighbours – for example from barking dogs
the health, safety and welfare requirements in relation to anyone you may employ in connection with the business (e.g. ‘kennel assistants’)
if you are a quarantine kennels you should have regard to DEFRA voluntary code of practice (see information on rabies).

If you wish to apply for a licence, please apply using the form below and submitting it, together with your written procedures and posting or e-mailing it to the address at the bottom of this page. If you require any assistance in producing the required documentation, please contact the Council's Animal Licensing Officer, using the contact details below.

Application form for animal boarding

The Council aims to process and determine whether or not to grant a licence within 10 weeks of receipt of a full application. In certain circumstances this deadline may be extended.

Subject to the local authority agreeing to grant a licence, each premises will receive a star-rating from 1 star to 5 stars, depending on how well the business complies with the licence conditions set out within The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (England) Regulations 2018. The licence will be issued for either 1, 2 or 3 years, depending on the star-rating achieved. A 1 star licence will only be granted to existing businesses with a licence that have minor failings. New businesses must meet the minimum standards for a licence to be granted. For a higher star-rating of 4 or 5 stars, the higher standards set out within the statutory guidance must be met.

Contact Details:

E-mail: fhsadmin@tendringdc.gov.uk
Address:

Environmental Health Services
88-90 Pier Avenue

Clacton-on-Sea

Essex

CO15 1TN
Telephone: 01255 686767