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Pet Shops

The keeping and running of a pet shop is controlled by the Pet Animals Act 1951.

No person may keep a pet shop unless they have first obtained a licence from Haringey Council. This includes all commercial selling of pet animals including pet shops and businesses selling animals over the Internet.

Am I eligible?

An applicant must not be disqualified from any of the following at the time of application:

  • keeping an animal boarding establishment
  • keeping a pet shop under the Pet Animals Act 1951
  • keeping animals under the Protection of Animals (Amendment) Act 1954
  • owning, keeping, being involved in the keeping or being entitled to control or influence the keeping of animals, dealing in animals or transporting or being involved in the transportation of animals under the Animals Welfare Act 2006.

There is an application fee which must be paid at the time the application is made. Currently the basic fee is £207 plus £25 for each additional animal category.

Where a licence is granted, that licence and any subsequent licence will expire on the 31 December of the year to which it relates and must be renewed before that date if the premises is to continue as a pet shop.

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Licensing conditions

The Licensing conditions can be found in the attached files section below.

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How will my Application be evaluated?

Before being granted a licence your premises will be inspected to make sure that certain conditions have been met, you must be able to demonstrate:

  • That they are suitably qualified to keep animals with regard to the type and number proposed to be kept
  • That the animals will be kept in accommodation that is suitable in respect of construction, size, temperature lighting, ventilation and cleanliness
  • That animals will be adequately supplied with suitable food, drink and bedding materials and (so far as is necessary) visited at suitable intervals
  • That mammals will not be sold at too early an age
  • That all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent the spread of infectious disease amongst the animals
  • That appropriate steps will be taken to protect the animals in the case of fire or other emergency, including the provision of suitable fire fighting equipment
  • That a register containing a description of any animal received on the premises, the animals age and sex, the date of acquisition and departure and the source from which the animals are received, and that the register will be available for inspection at all times by a Licensing Inspector or by a veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Practitioner authorised by the Council.

A licence may be refused or withheld on other grounds if those grounds are such that conditions are not suitable for the keeping of animals.

Each Licence is subject to standard conditions that are imposed on all pet shops licensed by the council.

In addition to the standard conditions a licence may also contain special conditions that are only applicable to your premises.

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What happens next?

We have a target date for dealing with these applications which is 28 days after receipt of the application form and the appropriate fee. If you have not heard from us within 14 days, please contact us using the details at the bottom of the page.

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How to apply?

Apply online on the Business Link website:

Online payment Terms and Conditions

The following credit or debit cards are accepted in Haringey:

Different types of cards accepted

Maestro - Mastercard Debit - Mastercard Credit - Visa Credit - Visa Debit (formerly Delta) and Visa Electron

Terms and conditions

  1. We cannot accept liability if payment is refused or declined by the card supplier
  2. If the card supplier declines payment, the Council is under no obligation to bring this fact to the customer's attention
  3. Customers should check with their card supplier to ensure that payment has been deducted from their relevant account
  4. Due to end of day processing, this service will not be available between 10pm and 11pm every weekday evening (Mon to Fri).
  5. Users should note that any payments in process after the 10pm deadline need to be completed by 10.05pm.
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Failed Application Redress

Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence or by any conditions to which a licence is subject may appeal to the Magistrates Courts who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.

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Offences and penalties

The following offences and penalties apply to the pet shops:

  • any person found guilty of keeping a pet shop without a licence may be subject to a fine not exceeding £500 or to three months imprisonment or both
  • any person found guilty of failing to comply with their licence conditions may be subject to a fine not exceeding £500 or to three months imprisonment or both
  • any person found guilty of obstructing or delaying an Inspector, or authorised Veterinary Surgeon or Veterinary Practitioner in the exercising of their powers of entry may be fined up to a maximum of £500.

If found guilty under this Act, the defendant's licence may be cancelled and they may be disqualified from keeping a pet shop for such length of time as the Court thinks fit.

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Consumer complaints

We would always advise that in the event of a complaint the first contact is made with the service provider by you - preferably in the form a letter (with proof of delivery). If that has not worked, if you are located in the UK, Consumer Direct will give you advice or you can contact us directly. From outside the UK contact the UK European Consumer Centre.

Other complaints

If you wish to complain about the welfare of the animals, nuisance caused by the operation of the boarding establishment etc. or are one licence holder wishing to complain about another, you can click on Report a Problem.

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Contact

The Licensing Team
Regulatory Services
Place and Sustainability Directorate
Units 271 - 272
Lee Valley Technopark
Ashley Road
Tottenham
N17 9LN

Tel 020 8489 8232
Email licensing@haringey.gov.uk

Attached Files

The following links are not part of the Haringey Council website. Please read our legal disclaimer before using these links

Page Last Updated: 27 March 2013

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