Pet Shop licence

Any person who runs a pet shop needs to be licensed under the Pet Animals Act 1951.  This includes sales of animals from shops, domestic premises and via the internet.  It excludes the sale of privately bred pedigree animals or offspring of your own pet.

To make an application the following documents are required:

• application form and schedule

The application fee is depends on the number of species you are selling.  For single-species pet shops, the fee is £247.78.  For multi-species pet shops, the fee is £266.24.  Applications can be made by post or in person at the Civic Centre by making an appointment with the Licensing Department.

Once the full application and fee has been received by the Licensing Department, a licensing inspection will be carried out at the premises with an authorised Veterinary Practitioner.  This inspection is to ensure that all conditions required by this Authority are being met.

Licences will run from the date of issue until 31st December of that calendar year.

If you have any welfare concerns for animals within a pet shop or believe a person is selling pets without a licence, please contact the Licensing Department.