Animal welfare licensing

From 1 October 2018, new legislation reformed animal welfare licensing with a single type of licence known as an Animal Activity Licence with nationally-set conditions being introduced.

This guidance should help you in making your licence application. Please contact us if you have any questions before you start up a business.

Businesses required to hold an Animal Activity Licence

Animal boarding

A licence is required for providing or arranging boarding for other people's dogs or cats in the course of a business, on any premises where the provision of that accommodation is the purpose of a business. The following activities are included:

• boarding for cats
• boarding kennels for dogs
• home boarding for dogs
• day care for dogs.

The introduction of the regulations now makes the arranging of boarding for dogs or cats a licensable activity, as well as providing boarding.

Pet shops (including the sale of pet animals on the internet)

A licence is required by anyone selling animals as pets, either directly or with a view to them later being sold as pets, in the course of a business. The scope of this includes the business of wholesale/pet shop supplier as a licensable activity, as well as anyone keeping animals in the course of a business with a view to them being sold or resold.

The exceptions to this are:

• the selling of animals in the course of an aqua cultural business inspected (by CEFAS) and authorised under The Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009
• the breeding of dogs to the extent that you require a licence relevant to this activity, rather than a pet sales licence.

Hiring out horses

A licence is required for the hiring out of horses in the course of a business for either of the following:

• riding
• riding lessons.

Exemptions to this are any activity solely for military or police, or involving students studying for a veterinary degree under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966.

For the activity of hiring out horses, there is a requirement for an annual inspection by a RCVS listed veterinarian, regardless of the total length of the licence.

Dog breeders

The test for dog breeding as a licensable activity is either or both of the following:

• the breeding of three or more litters in any 12-month period
• the breeding and advertising of a business of selling dogs.

Exemptions include:

• keeping a dog on any premises as a requirement of the Animal Health Act 1981
• breeding assistance dogs under Section 173 of the Equality Act 2010
• if documentary evidence can be produced to show none of the three litters bred have been sold.

Keeping or training animals for the purpose of exhibition, encounters or performance

• If a person keeps or trains animals for exhibition in the course of a business, for the purpose of education or entertainment, a licence is required. This includes exhibition to any audience or any filming/ photo shoots which enables the display of such images.
• Exemptions include animals kept and trained for military, police or sporting purposes, any activity permitted under The Welfare of Wild Animals in Travelling Circuses (England) Regulations 2012 or the Zoo Licensing Act 1981.

How to apply for an Animal Activities Licence

To apply for your licence download and complete the appropriate application form below. Information is provided on the form on where to send it to and how to make payment. You will then be contacted by the City of London's, Animal Welfare Service who carry out the Star Rating Scheme inspections for us.

Further information on the Star Rating Scheme and can be found in this guidance note.

Application form

Application form for animal activities licence (docx 96KB)
Application form for animal activities licence (pdf 222KB)

Application for a performing animals licence: Contact foodandsafety@lbhf.gov.uk for further advice.

National guidance and conditions for animal activities establishments

It is important that you read and understand the relevant guidance note which includes the general conditions set by the legislation which you will be inspected against as follows.

Further information on the national guidance for animal activities establishments can be found on the GOV.UK website.

Animal establishment licence fees 2025-26

How to pay

The fee must be paid before or at the time of application. Payment can be made by telephone - call 020 8753 1081 to make payment by Switch, Delta, Visa or MasterCard.

Complaints about businesses providing animal activities services or care

You should contact us if you have any concern businesses providing animal activities services.

Planning permission

You should check that your business premises has the correct planning permission to lawfully provide animal activities services.

General data protection regulations

For information on general data protection regulations and how we manage your data please see our privacy notice.

Public register of licensed animal activities establishments

We maintain a public register of all the businesses which hold an animal activity licence, a copy of which is available below. The register is updated on a regular basis.

H&F public register of all the businesses which hold an animal activity licence.

Dangerous and wild animals

The Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 and a schedule included with the Act contains a list of the various animals classed as "dangerous wild animals". In addition to powers of inspection, the Act also gives the council powers to seize any animal being kept on premises which are unlicensed. Zoos, pet shops and circuses are exempt from the provisions of the Act as these premises are subject to separate licensing requirements.

The keeping of certain species of wild animals is controlled by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. This specifies that:

No person may keep a dangerous wild animal without having first obtained a licence from their local authority (council).

Animals requiring a licence are listed in the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976 (Modification) Order 1984.

Please contact us for further information and guidance. It is an offence to keep a scheduled dangerous and wild animal without a licence.

Professional dog walkers

Further information on how to obtain a licence to walk dogs for financial gain in our parks.

Keeping poultry and avian flu

Keeping chickens at a residential property

Many people keep chickens to supply eggs or just as pets. If you are thinking of getting chickens, take time to find out what you need to get started and how to keep your chickens safe and healthy.

If you are considering keeping chickens at your property, please ensure that you are able to make suitable provisions for them. Like all animals, looking after chickens takes time and effort.

Animal welfare must be of primary concern and you will need enough outside space for a chicken coop or shed and an exercise space.

Keeping chickens at a residential property does not require a licence from the council.

However it is a legal requirement for all poultry and other captive bird keepers to register with the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) on GOV.UK regardless of the number of birds that they keep. You're breaking the law if you do not register.

If you've already registered, you do not need to register again.

For more information on keeping poultry please read through the following information:

• poultry (including game birds) - registration rules and forms on (GOV.UK)
• poultry on-farm welfare (GOV.UK)
• poultry welfare off the farm (GOV.UK).

Preventing nuisance from keeping chickens and other poultry

You must ensure that by keeping chickens you are not unreasonably interfering with the use and enjoyment of neighbouring properties - this includes disturbance from noise and or odour. Regular cleaning and proper disposal of waste is a must.

It is recommended that you discuss your plans to keep chickens with your neighbours before purchasing them. You must ensure that you locate the chicken coop in a location which is least likely to have an impact on neighbouring properties.

Keeping cockerels at a residential property

The same guidance applies to keeping cockerels. However, you must seriously consider whether your property or garden is suitable to house cockerels. We receive many complaints regarding noise disturbance from cockerels crowing in the early morning.

Practical measures to minimise crowing

It is important to ensure that the cockerel is located as far away as practicable from neighbouring residential properties and is kept enclosed in an appropriate building. Other cockerels in the area will cause them to compete with each other and may result in excess crowing.

Keep the coop as dark as possible to minimise early morning crowing as a cockerel will crow when light enters the coop. The coop ceiling can also be lowered to prevent the cockerel throwing back its head and crowing.

Investigating complaints

If we receive a complaint about noise we are obliged by law to investigate. We may ask the complainant to note down all the times they are being disturbed. Environmental protection officers undertaking visits to witness disturbances can use noise recording equipment.

In considering whether a statutory nuisance exists, we will consider the source, duration, time of day, effects and the type of noise and the character of the location.

If we are satisfied that the noise constitutes a statutory nuisance under the Environmental Protection Act 1990, an abatement notice will be served requiring you to stop the disturbance, and if this is not complied with, you could face a maximum fine of £5,000 for domestic premises, or £20,000 for commercial and industrial premises.

Reporting problems caused by noise or odour

To report problems caused by noise or odour contact the council's environmental public protection team.

Avian flu

APHA continues to regularly update the avian influenza (bird flu) information on GOV.UK, and the latest situation regarding outbreaks and restrictions for poultry keepers.

See also APHA's report and findings of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in wild birds in Great Britain (GOV.UK) and associated outbreak assessments (GOV.UK).

Important information regarding wild birds

If you find any dead wild birds, they should be reported to APHA, who will assess the information and may collect the birds and test for bird flu or other causes of death. Report dead wild birds (GOV.UK).

Do not touch or pick up any dead or visibly sick birds that you find. For further information, see APHA's advice for the public (GOV.UK).

Animal Welfare Charter

The council supports the view that all animals have a right to life free from cruel treatment and unnecessary suffering. This charter has been adopted by the London Borough of Hammersmith & Fulham to reflect the concerns of the administration and all residents who care about animal welfare.

Animal Welfare Charter (pdf 190KB)

Other sources of animal welfare information

• RSPCA
• Government
• Mayhew
• Dogs Trust
• The Canine & Feline Sector Group

Contact details

Hammersmith & Fulham Council
The Environment Department
Food and Safety Team
Hammersmith Town Hall
King Street
London
W6 9JU

020 8753 1081 - lines open 9am to 5pm, Monday to Friday
foodandsafety@lbhf.gov.uk