Animals and insects

What can we deal with?

This category of nuisance can be used to resolve issues relating to:

  • the suitability of the place where an animal is kept
  • the way that an animal is kept
  • insects from industrial or business processes

What legislation does the council use?

  • Environmental Protection Act 1990, section 79

What can’t we deal with?

  • Animal welfare issues – please contact the RSPCA
  • Issues originating from sites that are permitted by the Environment Agency, such as waste transfer sites

Further advice

Animals

This arm of statutory nuisance has its origins in the earliest public health legislation. It first appeared in the Nuisances Removal Act 1855 and was to reflect that during the Industrial Revolution there was an influx of non-skilled workers who brought pigs, chickens, donkeys (to name a few) with them.

There was a tendency for the animals to occupy the same living space as humans. This provision focuses on the suitability of the place where the animal is kept or on the way in which it is kept and the conditions of their keeping.

Insects

Wasps

This is a statutory nuisance, introduced in 2005, which applies to insects emanating from industrial, trade or business premises.

Premises where animals are kept and sewage treatment works have been notable among the premises giving rise to nuisances from insects. Other sources of problems include landfill and waste treatment sites. It is not always easy to identify the source of the flies.

If a process attracts flies or is a potential breeding ground for them it is the responsibility of the business owner to ensure that they do not cause a nuisance.

Often, spraying affected areas with insecticide will ensure that the lifecycle of the insect is interrupted and effectively reduce their numbers.

In premises that hold a permit from the Environment Agency, such as waste transfer sites, we may ask you to contact the Environment Agency directly to request for the issue to be investigated.

Report it

Find out how to report this online

For advice about our procedures and the legislation we use please see our frequently asked questions page

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