Animal Boarding Establishments
The Legislation
Under the Animal Boarding Establishment Act 1963, anyone who
wishes to carry on the business of providing accommodation for
other people’s cats and dogs must obtain a licence.
What we Check For
The aim of the licensing requirements is to achieve certain
standards in the management of the accommodation and to ensure
precautions against disease and fire. This is done by
attaching relevant conditions of licence to ensure that animals are
kept in suitable accommodation.
Before the licence is issued, the Council must be satisfied that
the premises are adequate in terms of:
- construction, size, number of occupants, exercise facilities,
temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness
- that animals will be adequately supplied with food and drink,
bedding material, adequately exercised and visited at suitable
intervals
- that adequate precautions are in place in case of infectious
disease
- that adequate fire and emergency precautions are in place
- that a suitable register of animals boarded is maintained
For more information please read our Animal Boarding Advice
webpage and the model licence conditions for boarding kennels and
catteries.
Applying for a Licence
Should you wish to apply for a licence then please complete an
application form Application
Form 42Kb PDF and return it with the appropriate fee
to the Environmental Health Service. We will arrange to
inspect the premises before granting a licence. All
inspections are carried out in conjunction with a consultant
veterinary surgeon. Once a licence is granted annual
inspections will be performed prior to the renewal of the
licence.
Please be aware that in the event that your application is
refused you will not be refunded the application fee or any part
thereof under any circumstances. Fees are also not refunded
in the event of an application being withdrawn.
In addition, new applicants are advised to contact the planning
department to ascertain whether it is necessary to obtain
planning permission for their establishment. This should be
done before applying for a licence. Should you be considering
erecting new kennels and/or cattery accommodation or carrying out
alterations to existing kennels and/or cattery accommodation, you
are also advised to contact the building control department and/or
the planning department.
Home Boarding
It is becoming increasingly popular for individuals to carry out
small-scale commercial boarding of dogs within their own home. This
requires an animal boarding licence and compliance with the
Council's specific model conditions for the Home Boarding of Dogs.
In all other aspects, the application and licensing process is the
same as any other animal boarding establishment. Reduced fees are
applicable for home boarding. Please contact the Environmental
Health Service for details.
Application Fees
The current fees are:
| Licence Type |
Animal Boarding Establishment Fee |
Home Boarding Fee |
| New Licence* |
£511.00 |
£79.00 |
| Renewal |
£127.00 |
£61.00 |
| Variation |
£127.00 |
N/A |
| Concurrent Second Application |
£63.00 |
N/A |
*including veterinary fees
Licensed Animal Boarding Establishment in Ashford
A list of licensed Animal Boarding Establishments is available
on the Council’s Online Public Register of Licenses and
Registrations.
View the licences issued by Ashford Borough Council.
Selecting an Animal Boarding Establishment
Before booking a cat or dog into boarding accommodation it may
be worthwhile to visit more than one establishment as some
catteries/kennels may suit the needs or temperament of your cat/dog
better than others. All animals must be up to date in terms of
vaccinations before being accepted at a boarding establishment and
proof of such will need to be provided to the proprietor upon
arrival.
Further Information
For further information contact:
Environmental Health Service, Civic Centre, Tannery Lane,
Ashford TN23 1PL
Telephone: 01233 330578
Email the Environmental Health
Team
Fax: 01233 330469
This webpage was updated on
3/27/2012