Animal boarding establishments (kennels)

The Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 requires that premises for boarding dogs and cats (home boarding, creches, kennels and catteries) must be licensed by the local authority.

Environmental Health Officers visit each premises to check compliance with the legislation and licence conditions. The requirement also applies to dog and cat sitting services operating in Salford that are organised on a business footing. The general conditions are:

1. The number of animals accommodated at the establishment at any one time shall not exceed those specified in the licence
2. A copy of the licence and its conditions must be suitably displayed to the public in a prominent position in, on or about the boarding establishment
3. Accommodation provided for animals must, in all respects, be suitable as regards construction, size of quarters, exercising facilities, temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness
4. All dogs and cats accommodated at the premises must be provided with suitable bedding material, and must be given adequate exercise
5. Suitable food and drink must be provided for all animals
6. Whilst animals are boarded at the establishment, there must always be someone resident at the premises, and all animals must be visited at suitable intervals
7. All reasonable precautions must be taken to prevent and control the spread among animals of infectious or contagious diseases, including the provision of adequate isolation facilities. Proof must be provided that dogs have current vaccinations against Canine Distemper, Infectious Canine Hepatitis, Leptospirosis and Canine Parvovirus and other relevant diseases. Cats should have current vaccinations against Infectious Feline Enteritis, feline respiratory disease and other relevant diseases
8. All heating appliances must be of such construction as to constitute no risk of fire and all electrical installations and appliances must be maintained in a safe condition. A residual current circuit breaker system must be on each block of units
9. Appropriate steps must be taken for the protection of animals in case of fire or other emergency
10. Exclusive facilities, hygienically constructed and maintained, must be provided for the storage and preparation of food for the animals. All bulk supplies of food must be kept in pest proof containers
11. A register must be kept containing a description of any animals received into the establishments, date of arrival and departure, and the name and address of the owner, such register to be available for inspection at all times by an officer of the local authority, veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner, authorised under Section 2(1) of the Animal Boarding Establishment Act, 1963
12. Facilities to inspect premises must be granted at all reasonable time to a duly authorised official of the Licensing Authority. The Environmental Health Officer may obtain the opinion of the Council’s official veterinarian where the standards and type of care required is unclear. Where this is necessary the applicant will be charged a vet's fee
13. A written training policy must be provided for permanent, part-time and seasonal workers and must be demonstrated to have been carried out
14. Each unit must be clearly marked (e.g. numbered), and a system in place, which ensures that relevant information about the animal in that unit, is readily available

The licence is renewable annually and the current fee is £106.60 plus any applicable vets fees.

Who to contact

Name

Environmental Health

Address

Turnpike House
631 Eccles New Road
Salford
M5 2SH
Map to this location

Telephone

0161 737 0551

Email

environment@salford.gov.uk

This page was last updated on 24 December 2010