FOI Request - Animal Activities Licensing
Request 101003804412
I would like to request the following information.
As of every April 1 of each year 2020 to 2025 inclusive:
1. For each of the following activities: dog boarding (kennels), home boarding for dogs, dog day care, dog breeding, cat breeding, cat boarding, and selling animals as pets, please provide:
a) Number of licenses in force
b) Number of 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year licenses issued in the 12 months up to that point
c) Number of 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year licenses renewed in the above period
d) Number of licenses revoked, reviewed or refused in the above period
e) Number of fines issued regarding licence violations
f) Number of prosecutions regarding licence violations
g) Number FTEs inspecting and enforcing licensing
h) Names of license holders
2. For the period above, for dog and cat breeding, please provide the following information if held:
a) Average number of breeding females per licensed breeder
b) Average number of puppies/kittens born per year per breeder
c) Average number of staff working directly with breeding females (staff ratios)
3. Please provide details of the training requirements for FTEs regarding inspecting and enforcing the licensing of the following activities:
a) dog boarding (kennels),
b) home boarding for dogs,
c) dog day care,
d) dog breeding,
e) cat boarding, and
f) selling animals as pets.
Response 27-06-2025
1. Licence applications and licences in force are published on the council’s website, except where stated in bold (below). This information is therefore exempt under section 25 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002, information otherwise accessible. For ease of reference please find a link to the web page here: http://www.moray.gov.uk/moray_standard/page_55066.html
a) Number of licenses in force
b) Number of 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year licenses issued in the 12 months up to that point
c) Number of 1-year, 2-year, and 3-year licenses renewed in the above period
d) Number of licenses revoked, reviewed or refused in the above period - 0
e) Number of fines issued regarding licence violations – Information not held. Moray Council is not a prosecuting authority. The prosecuting authority in Scotland is the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
f) Number of prosecutions regarding licence violations – Information not held. Moray Council is not a prosecuting authority. The prosecuting authority in Scotland is the Crown Office and Procurator Fiscal Service. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
g) Number FTEs inspecting and enforcing licensing – Within the Licensing Service there are (2) two FTE licensing standards officers. In relation to animal licences there may also be inspection(s) by one (1) FTE animal services offcer within the Environmental Health Service.
h) Names of license holders
2. Not held. Information that is not held falls under Section 17 of the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 - Information not held.
3. Training is done via understanding and inspecting/ investigating to the licence conditions set out in legislation and guidance. Inspecting these premises is done by our Licensing section, but enforcement would remain a remit of the Animal Health Officer within Environmental Health.
a) dog boarding (kennels), Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 Commercial Kennel Boarding of Dogs Licensing Conditions
b) home boarding for dogs, Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 HOME BOARDING - GENERAL LICENSING CONDITIONS
c) dog day care, Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 DOG DAY CARE CENTRE – LICENCE CONDITIONS
d) dog breeding, The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021, regulation 3 and Schedule 1, Part 4 of the regulations. Conditions - The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 - breeding dogs
e) cat boarding, and The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 Conditions for Cat Boarding Establishments
f) selling animals as pets. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021 - Model Conditions for Pet Vending