Animal activities licence

If you would like to run an animal activity business, you must apply for a licence from us.

Before you apply

Before you apply, read the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) animal activities licensing guidance.

How to apply

Apply for a licence to breed dogs

Apply for a licence to keep or train animals for exhibition

Apply for a licence to hire out horses

Apply for a licence to sell animals as pets

Apply for a licence to provide or arrange boarding for cats or dogs

After you apply, an officer will contact you to arrange an inspection of the premises where the animal activity will take place.

To ensure the requirements are met, we may also authorise a vet to inspect your premises. This inspection is mandatory for new dog breeders and annually for hiring out horses. The fee for this is not included in the application fee and will be requested separately.

What happens next?

Tacit consent

Tacit consent does not apply in respect of these applications.

Tacit consent means that if we have not dealt with licence applications within the target period then the application can be deemed to have been granted or approved.

It is in the public interest that we process your application before it can be granted.

If you have not heard from us within 10 working days, contact us on 01642 524802 or licensing@stockton.gov.uk.

Refusals

If we refuse your application, you may be able to appeal this decision to the Magistrates' Court or First-Tier Tribunal.

Full details will be included in any refusal notice.

Tell us about a change to your licence

Star rating appeal process - lodging an appeal

If you are unhappy with the star rating given to your business you have 21 days from the date the star rating is awarded to lodge an appeal (this includes weekends and bank holidays).

This process is relevant where you wish to dispute the star rating given as not reflecting the animal welfare standards and risk level of your business at the time of the inspection.

This process is not relevant where you have made improvements to your business and wish to be reassessed. In this situation, you should apply for re-inspection and a reinspection fee will apply.

Where you wish to lodge an appeal against the star rating given to your business, it is advisable, in the first instance, to discuss this with the Inspecting Officer. This does not form part of the appeals process but provides the opportunity to discuss how the rating was worked out.

If you remain unhappy, or prior to this discussion, you should submit your appeal in writing (including by email) to licensing@stockton.gov.uk. The request should contain:

outline the case for appeal
indicate what the business has done to improve the level of compliance or welfare since the inspection - this should refer to actions recommended by the local authority
include supporting evidence, if appropriate

The appeal will be considered by the Licensing Team Leader. A decision will be issued within 21 days from the date the local authority receives the appeal. Where a revisit is required as part of the appeal process, a revisit fee will be payable (unless the appeal results in a higher rating being awarded).

If you disagree with the outcome of the appeal a challenge may be made by means of a judicial review. You may also wish to make a complaint using the corporate complaints procedure (including taking the matter to the Local Government Ombudsman where appropriate).

Request for reinspection for re-rating purposes

Where a rating of 1 to 4 has been given, and accepted by you and you have subsequently made the required improvements to address non-compliance identified during the local authority's inspection, you may apply for a re-rating inspection. There is a fee for a reinspection visit, and it should be noted that a reinspection could lead to a lower rating being awarded rather than an increase in rating.

Where a reinspection is requested, it will be carried out within 3 months of the request, unless there is insufficient evidence of the required improvements being made, in which case the local authority may refuse to reinspect the business.

Reinspection requests should be made in writing to licensing@stockton.gov.uk. The request should contain:

outline the case for a reinspection
indicate what the business has done to improve the level of compliance or welfare since the inspection - this should refer to actions recommended by the local authority
include supporting evidence, if appropriate

A reinspection fee will be payable. Where a business is unhappy with the outcome of a reinspection it can make a complaint following the local authority complaints procedure.