Pet Shops

These licences are required in order to regulate the sale of pet animals, under the Pet Animals 1951 (as amended). This excludes keeping or selling pedigree animals bred privately or the offspring of animals kept as pets.

Selling animals as pets as a business is prohibited in any part of a street, in a public place, or at a stall or barrow in a market. Mammals are not to be sold at too early an age.

The licence imposes conditions relating to the feeding and housing of the animals.

New licence applications may require an inspection by a veterinary surgeon in addition to the licence inspection.
Categories of animals which a pet shop may be licenced to keep:

• Dogs and cats (puppies and kittens)
• Smaller domesticated mammals e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils,
  hamsters, rats, mice, chinchillas, chipmunks, ferrets
• Larger domesticated mammals e.g. goats, pot-bellied pigs
• Primates e.g. marmosets
• Other mammals
• Parrots, parakeets and macaws
• Other birds
• Reptiles
• Amphibians
• Fish and aquatic invertebrates
• Other vertebrates

If you would like to apply for an application form or if you have an enquiry or complaint about Pet Shop Licensing, please contact us on 01628 683820 or use the online form

How do you rate this information/service?