The following business activities operators must be licensed by the local authority whose area they are in, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Providing or arranging for the provision of boarding for cats or dogs
Keeping or training animals for exhibition
Click on each animal activity above for further information. If you are unsure whether or not you are carrying out a business in relation to any of these categories, then you need to read through the specific guidance and / or speak to the licensing officer.
List of Animal Activity Licenses
The list of animal activities licensed in Charnwood can be viewed in the document below:
List of Animal Activity Licences - December 2024 (Excel Spreadsheet, 0.1 Mb)
How to apply
If you wish to apply for an Animal Activity Licence then you need to download the application form and complete and return with the relevant application fee. All applicants need to complete Sections 1 to 4 and then the sections relevant to their application.
- Animal Activity Licence Application Form 2024 (Word Document, 0.1 Mb)
The fees associated with Animal Activity Licences are available below. There is an application fee that must accompany the application and then a licence fee which is paid once the licence is granted. There may also be separate veterinary inspection fees associated with certain animal activities.
All fees are non-refundable, therefore you must ensure that you have read through the licence conditions and guidance before you apply and if you have any concerns then speak to a Animal Activity Licensing Officer.
Animal Activity Licence Fees Summary
Paying for an Animal Activity Licence
You can pay for an Animal Activity Licence by using the online form below:
Pay for an Animal Activity Licence
Frequently asked questions
See our Animal Activity Licence FAQs for further information on how this new licensing scheme will work.
The following also require a licence under separate legislation:
Further guidance can be found below.
Guidance for Animal Activity Licensing
New statutory guidance for animal activity licensing from February 1, 2022 can be found on the Government website.
XL Bully information
From December 31, 2023, breeding, selling, exchanging, advertising, rehoming, gifting, abandoning, and allowing an XL Bully dog to stray will be illegal, and these dogs must be muzzled and on a lead in public.
From February 1, 2024 it will be a criminal offence to own an XL Bully in England and Wales unless the owner has a Certificate of Exemption.
Key dates and details are available on the Government website.
LAIA licensed kennelling, home boarding or day care of XL Bullies
It will still be possible for businesses to provide these services for exempted XL Bully type dogs if they wish to do so.
It is a requirement of the Certificate of Exemption to keep a prohibited breed type at the same address as the person to whom the certificate is issued except for up to a maximum of 30 days in a 12-month period. During these 30 days, the dog may kept in suitable care which could include licensed kennels, home boarding or day care.
Licence holders must ensure that they can continue to meet and maintain all their licence conditions should they agree to board an exempted XL Bully. They may also wish to ask the owner of the dog to see their Certificate of Exemption before agreeing to provide their services.
The owner should ensure that the licence holder, or their designated manager, is aware the dog is a prohibited breed type, show them the Certificate of Exemption, and provide all relevant information to ensure the business can comply with the legislation. This includes that from December 31, 2023 the dog must be kept on a lead and muzzled when in public.
In general, the licensed premises are unlikely to be considered as a public place for the purposes of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (that is a place which members of the public have access to without the invitation of the person occupying the property). However, depending on the individual set up, some part of the premises used by the licensee may be accessible to the public without the licensee’s permission. We would advise that licence holders that are unsure whether their premises or a part of their premises constitute a public place should consult their own legal team for views. If a licence holder or their legal team do consider the premises to be a public place, then an XL Bully would be required by law to be kept on a lead and muzzled.
When transporting exempted XL Bully dogs, they should be on a lead and a muzzle at all times when they are in a vehicle as this is considered to be a public place.
XL Bully owners who are licensed boarding operators
Owning an exempt dog does not prevent individuals from holding or applying for a licence under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 (“the 2018 Regulations”).
The statutory guidance published in support of the 2018 Regulations can be found on the Government website.
Last updated: Wed 8th May, 2024 @ 11:59