Blog
Going on holiday is one of life's great pleasures, yet for pet owners it can be a bit of a headache. For those who don't have friends and family who are happy to take care of their animals whilst they are away, many people rely on the services of dog home boarding services, kennels and catteries.
Torridge District Council wants to warn families about leaving their pets in the care of unlicensed boarding establishments. It wants to make dog and cat owners aware that unlicensed premises have not been subject to checks to ensure that the welfare needs of the animals can be met, or whether the person running the establishment is an appropriate, qualified or experienced person to do so.
All licensed home boarders, kennels/catteries are subject to strict criteria, including size and structure of the units, the cleanliness of the premises, the exercise and interaction pets get and management of the pet's food and/or medications.
Councillor Philip Hackett, Lead Member for Public Health and Community Safety, Torridge District Council, said:
"For most of us our pets are part of the family. You wouldn't send your child to stay somewhere without researching it thoroughly and your dogs and cats deserve the same care and thought. All dog boarding must be licensed by the local authority to make sure they comply with legal standards relating to the welfare of the animals being looked after. We would strongly urge anyone looking to use a kennel service to make sure that the premises is licensed before checking in their furry friend."
"Unlicensed premises are unlikely to be insured should anything happen to your pet during the boarding period. There are many licensed premises across the district that can cater very well for the needs of your animals – just take a moment to check that you're using one."
How to check -
If you're looking for pet boarding, you should make sure the premises holds the correct licence. You can check this by https://www.torridge.gov.uk/publicregister .
Anyone carrying out this activity without the correct licence in place should be aware they are committing an offence and may be liable to prosecution. Further information regarding how to apply for a license and the conditions needed to obtain one can be found at https://www.torridge.gov.uk/article/19972/Animal-welfare-licences.
If anyone has any concerns over any licensed or potentially unlicensed boarding facilities in Torridge, please email licensing@torridge.gov.uk.
