Issue - meetings

The report of the Director of Central Services and Monitoring Officer set out details of the proposed licensing conditions to be applied in respect of the home boarding of cats and dogs.  The Committee was reminded that Section 1 of the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 required that any person keeping a boarding establishment must be licensed by the Local Authority.  The Director of Central Services indicated that, due to the rise in popularity of home boarding arrangements, a request to be licensed had been received from a home boarder.  The report advised that existing animal boarding licence conditions were not wholly suited to the home boarding environment and set out proposed conditions based on the Local Government Regulation and British Kennel and Cattery Association model conditions which would ensure that animal welfare was maintained. 

In response to concerns about the stringent nature of the proposed conditions the Director of Central Services advised that prospective business owners and operators had been consulted and had acknowledged that this was a reasonable approach.  Members remained concerned and sought clarification on whether the licence and conditions would be mandatory, the enforceability of the licensing regime, the level of fees to be applied and the ability to tailor standard conditions to individual premises. 

RESOLVED:  That consideration of the licence conditions to be applied for the Home Boarding of Dogs and Cats and Dog Day Care Establishments be deferred for further clarification of the matters identified by Members.