Animal health and welfare

There is a wide range of legislation in the UK designed to protect the health and welfare of both domesticated and wild animals.

Animal health and welfare legislation is enforced jointly by the local authority and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra), in association with other government bodies and independent organisations like the RSPCA.

What we do

Environmental Health

Licensing of:

• Sale of animals as pets
• Riding establishments 
• Dog breeding establishments
• Boarding of dogs in kennels
• Boarding of cats
• Home boarding of dogs
• Dog day care
• Dangerous wild animals
• Zoos
• Animal movements
• General information on animal welfare licences

Advice and enforcement on:

• Animal by-products
• Welfare of animals
• Animal diseases outbreak in conjunction with DEFRA
• The Pet Travel Scheme

What DEFRA do

• National Animal Health and Welfare Strategy 
• Animal welfare at farms, markets and slaughterhouses 
• The Pet Travel Scheme
• International trade in animals 
• Animal diseases - control and surveillance, BSE, tuberculosis, scrapie, foot and mouth disease 
• Animal by-products 
• Wildlife conservation and biodiversity 
• Wildlife crime

DEFRA helpline: 08459 33 55 77
Opening times: Monday to Friday, 9.30 to 13.00 and 14.00 to 16.00