Regulation 2
1. In this Part—
“cat unit” means the physical structure and area that comprises a sleeping area and an exercise run;
“exercise run” means an enclosed area forming part of the cat unit attached to and with direct and permanent access to the sleeping area;
“premises” means the premises on which the licensable activity of providing boarding for cats is carried on.
2.—(1) Cats within the premises must be prevented from coming into direct contact with other animals from outside the premises.
(2) There must be a safe, secure, waterproof roof over the entire cat unit.
(3) A cat unit may only be shared by cats from the same household.
(4) Communal exercise areas are not permitted.
(5) Each cat unit must be clearly numbered and there must be a system in place which ensures that information about the cat or cats in each cat unit is available to all staff and any inspector.
(6) Each cat unit must provide the cat with sufficient space to—
(a)walk,
(b)turn around,
(c)stand on its hind legs,
(d)hold its tail erect,
(e)climb,
(f)rest on the elevated area, and
(g)lie down fully stretched out,
without touching another cat or the walls.
(7) Each cat unit must have sufficient space for each cat to sit, rest, eat and drink away from the area where it urinates and defecates.
(8) Cats must have constant access to their sleeping area.
(9) A litter tray and safe and absorbent litter material must be provided at all times in each cat unit and litter trays must be regularly cleaned and disinfected.
(10) Each cat unit must include an elevated area.
(11) Adjoining cat units must have solid barriers covering the full height and full width of the adjoining wall.
(12) Any gaps between cat units must be a minimum of 0.6 metres wide.
(13) Any cat taken out of a cat unit must be secured in a suitable carrier.
(14) The sleeping area must form part of the cat unit and be free from draughts.
3.—(1) There must be an area within each cat unit in which the cat can avoid seeing other cats and people outside the cat unit if it so chooses.
(2) Each cat unit must include a facility for scratching and any surface within a cat unit available for scratching must either be disinfected between uses by different cats or disposed of.
(3) All cats must be provided with toys or feeding enrichment (or both) unless advice from a veterinarian suggests otherwise.
(4) All toys and other enrichment items must be checked daily to ensure they remain safe and must be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly.
4. A register must be kept of all the cats on the premises which must include—
(a)the dates of each cat’s arrival and departure,
(b)each cat’s name, age, sex, neuter status and a description of it or its breed,
(c)each cat’s microchip number, where applicable,
(d)the number of any cats from the same household,
(e)a record of which cats (if any) are from the same household,
(f)the name, postal address, telephone number (if any) and email address (if any) of the owner of each cat and emergency contact details,
(g)in relation to each cat, the name, postal address, telephone number and email address of a local contact in an emergency,
(h)the name and contact details of each cat’s normal veterinarian and details of any insurance relating to the cat,
(i)details of each cat’s relevant medical and behavioural history, including details of any treatment administered against parasites and restrictions on exercise,
(j)details of each cat’s diet and related requirements,
(k)any required consent forms,
(l)a record of the date or dates of each cat’s most recent vaccination, worming and flea treatments, and
(m)details of any medical treatment each cat is receiving.
5.—(1) A cat must remain in its assigned cat unit, except when it is moved to an isolation cat unit or to a holding cat unit.
(2) Where any other activity involving animals is undertaken on the premises, it must be kept entirely separate from the area where the activity of providing boarding for cats takes place.
(3) All equipment must be cleaned and disinfected before a cat is first introduced into a cat unit.
(4) A preventative healthcare plan agreed with the veterinarian with whom the licence holder has registered under paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 must be implemented.
(5) A holding cat unit must only be used in an emergency and must not be used for longer than is necessary and in any event for no longer than a total of 12 hours in any 24-hour period.
(6) In this paragraph, “holding cat unit” means a cat unit, separate from any other cat unit, in which a cat may be housed temporarily.
6. In this Part—
“exercise run” means an enclosed area forming part of a kennel unit attached to and with direct access to the sleeping area;
“kennel unit” means the physical structure and area that consists of a sleeping area and an exercise run;
“premises” means the premises on which the licensable activity of providing boarding in kennels for dogs is carried on.
7.—(1) Dogs within the premises must be prevented from coming into contact with other animals from outside the premises.
(2) In each kennel unit, the sleeping area must—
(a)be free from draughts;
(b)provide the dog with sufficient space to—
(i)sit and stand at full height,
(ii)lie down fully stretched-out,
(iii)wag its tail,
(iv)walk, and
(v)turn around,
without touching another dog or the walls;
(c)have a floor area which is at least twice the area required for the dog in it to lie flat; and
(d)if built after the date on which these Regulations come into force, have a floor area of at least 1.9 square metres.
(3) Each kennel unit must be clearly numbered and there must be a system in place which ensures that information about the dog or dogs in each kennel unit is available to all staff and any inspector.
(4) Each dog must have constant access to its sleeping area.
(5) Each dog must have a clean, comfortable and warm area within its sleeping area where it can rest and sleep.
(6) Each exercise run must have a single, safe, secure, waterproof roof over a minimum of half its total area.
(7) Where a dog poses a health or welfare risk to other dogs, it must be kept on its own in a kennel unit and, if that kennel unit adjoins another kennel unit, any adjoining wall must be of full height and width so as to prevent the dog from coming into physical contact with any other dog.
(8) Only dogs from the same household may share a kennel unit.
8.—(1) Any equipment that a dog is likely to be in contact with and any toy provided must not pose a risk of pain, suffering, disease or distress to the dog and must be correctly used.
(2) All dogs must be provided with toys or feeding enrichment (or both) unless advice from a veterinarian suggests otherwise.
(3) All toys and other enrichment items must be checked daily to ensure they remain safe and must be cleaned and disinfected at least weekly.
(4) Each dog must be exercised at least once daily away from its kennel unit as appropriate for its age and health.
(5) Any dog which, on the advice of a veterinarian, cannot be exercised must be provided with alternative forms of mental stimulation.
(6) There must be an area within each kennel unit in which a dog can avoid seeing people and other dogs outside the kennel unit if it so chooses.
9.—(1) A register must be kept of all the dogs on the premises which must include—
(a)the dates of each dog’s arrival and departure;
(b)each dog’s name, age, sex, neuter status, microchip number and a description of it or its breed;
(c)the number of any dogs from the same household;
(d)a record of which dogs (if any) are from the same household;
(e)the name, postal address, telephone number (if any) and email address (if any) of the owner of each dog and emergency contact details;
(f)in relation to each dog, the name, postal address, telephone number and email address of a local contact in an emergency;
(g)the name and contact details of the dog’s normal veterinarian and details of any insurance relating to the dog;
(h)details of each dog’s relevant medical and behavioural history, including details of any treatment administered against parasites and restrictions on exercise;
(i)details of the dog’s diet and related requirements;
(j)any required consent forms;
(k)a record of the date or dates of each dog’s most recent vaccination, worming and flea treatments;
(l)details of any medical treatment each dog is receiving.
(2) When outside the premises, each dog must wear an identity tag which includes the licence holder’s name and contact details.
10.—(1) Where any other activity involving animals is undertaken on the premises, it must be kept entirely separate from the area where the activity of providing boarding for dogs in kennels takes place.
(2) A preventative healthcare plan agreed with the veterinarian with whom the licence holder has registered under paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 must be implemented.
(3) A holding kennel unit must only be used in an emergency and must not be used for longer than is necessary and in any event for no longer than a total of 12 hours in any 24-hour period.
(4) In sub-paragraph (3), “holding kennel unit” means a kennel unit, separate from any other kennel unit, in which a dog may be housed temporarily.
11. In this Part—
“designated room” means a room within the home allocated to a dog;
“home” means a domestic dwelling on which the licensable activity of providing home boarding for dogs is carried on.
12.—(1) Dogs must be accommodated within the home.
(2) The home must include—
(a)direct access to a private, non-communal, secure and hazard-free external area, and
(b)at least two secure physical barriers between any dog and any entrance to or exit from it.
13.—(1) Dogs from different households may only be boarded at the same time with the written consent of every owner.
(2) Each dog must be provided with its own designated room where it can, if necessary, be kept separate from other dogs.
(3) Each dog must have a clean, comfortable and warm area within its designated room where it can rest and sleep.
(4) Each designated room must have a secure window to the outside that can be opened and closed as necessary.
(5) A dog must not be confined in a crate for longer than three hours in any 24-hour period.
(6) A dog must not be kept in a crate unless—
(a)it is already habituated to it,
(b)a crate forms part of the normal routine for the dog, and
(c)the dog’s owner has consented to the use of a crate.
(7) Any crate in which a dog is kept must be in good condition and sufficiently large for the dog to sit and stand in it at full height, lie flat and turn around.
14. Each dog must be fed separately in its designated room unless its owner has given written consent to the contrary.
15.—(1) Any equipment that a dog is likely to be in contact with and any toy provided must not pose a risk of pain, suffering, disease or distress to the dog and must be correctly used.
(2) Each dog must be exercised at least once daily as appropriate for its age and health.
(3) Dogs which on the advice of a veterinarian cannot be exercised must be provided with alternative forms of mental stimulation.
16.—(1) Written consent must be obtained from the owner or owners (as the case may be) to keep dogs together in a designated room.
(2) Unneutered bitches must be prevented from mating.
(3) If any person aged under 16 years resides at the home, there must be procedures in place to regulate the interactions between the dogs and that person.
17.—(1) A register must be kept of all the dogs accommodated in the home which must include—
(a)the dates of each dog’s arrival and departure;
(b)each dog’s name, age, sex, neuter status, microchip number and a description of it or its breed;
(c)the number of any dogs from the same household;
(d)a record of which dogs (if any) are from the same household;
(e)the name, postal address, telephone number (if any) and email address (if any) of the owner of each dog and emergency contact details;
(f)in relation to each dog, the name, postal address, telephone number and email address of a local contact in an emergency;
(g)the name and contact details of each dog’s normal veterinarian and details of any insurance relating to the dog;
(h)details of each dog’s relevant medical and behavioural history, including details of any treatment administered against parasites and restrictions on exercise;
(i)details of each dog’s diet and related requirements;
(j)any required consent forms;
(k)a record of the date or dates of each dog’s most recent vaccination, worming and flea treatments;
(l)details of any medical treatment each dog is receiving.
(2) When outside the premises, each dog must wear an identity tag which includes the licence holder’s name and contact details.
18.—(1) Before a dog is admitted for boarding, all equipment to be used by or in relation to that dog must be cleaned and disinfected.
(2) A preventative healthcare plan agreed with the veterinarian with whom the licence holder has registered under paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 must be implemented.
19. In this Part, “premises” means the premises on which the licensable activity of providing day care for dogs is carried on.
20. No dog may be kept on the premises overnight.
21.—(1) Each dog must be provided with—
(a)a clean, comfortable and warm area where it can rest and sleep, and
(b)another secure area in which water is provided and in which there is shelter.
(2) Each dog must have access to areas where it can—
(a)interact safely with other dogs, toys and people, and
(b)urinate and defecate.
(3) There must be an area where any dog can avoid seeing other dogs and people if it so chooses.
22. Any dog that requires specific feed due to a medical condition must be fed in isolation.
23.—(1) All dogs must be screened before being admitted to the premises to ensure that they are not afraid, anxious or stressed in the presence of other dogs or people and do not pose a danger to other dogs or staff.
(2) Any equipment used that is likely to be in contact with the dogs and any toys provided must not pose a risk of pain, suffering, disease or distress to the dog and must be correctly used.
24.—(1) Unneutered bitches must be prevented from mating.
(2) Dogs which need to be isolated from other dogs must be provided with alternative forms of mental stimulation.
25.—(1) A register must be kept of all the dogs on the premises which must include—
(a)the date of the dog’s attendance;
(b)the dog’s name, age, sex, neuter status, microchip number and a description of it or its breed;
(c)the name, postal address, telephone number (if any) and email address (if any) of the owner and emergency contact details;
(d)the name and contact details of the dog’s normal veterinarian and details of any insurance relating to the dog;
(e)details of the dog’s relevant medical and behavioural history, including details of any treatment administered against parasites and any restrictions on exercise;
(f)details of the dog’s diet and relevant requirements;
(g)any required consent forms;
(h)a record of the date or dates of the dog’s most recent vaccination, worming and flea treatments;
(i)details of any medical treatment the dog is receiving.
(2) When outside the premises, each dog must wear an identity tag which includes the licence holder’s name and contact details.
26.—(1) The dogs must be supervised at all times.
(2) A preventative healthcare plan agreed with the veterinarian with whom the licence holder has registered under paragraph 9(8) of Schedule 2 must be implemented.
(3) Any journeys in a vehicle must be planned to minimise the time dogs spend in the vehicle.