This page has information on animal licences, including applying for animal boarding licence, dangerous wild animal licence, and legislation on horse microchipping.
Before you apply
If you run a business from your home, any waste from that part of your property is business waste, regardless of how small your business is.
You must not use household waste services to dispose of business waste. If you do, your application or renewal for an animal activities licence will be delayed until you show you comply with the law.
The council or the Environment Agency may take enforcement action if you do not comply. We recommend checking the legal requirements, comparing quotes from waste carriers, and choosing a service that meets your business needs.
Find more information:
- HM Government advice on waste disposal
- Register of Waste Carriers, Brokers and Dealers
- The Environment Agency
- Portsmouth City Council’s advice on business waste
Animal boarding licence
You need a licence if you provide boarding for cats or dogs, or arrange boarding for others, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) England Regulations 2018.
You must have a licence if you charge for:
- boarding animals on your premises
- arranging for animals to be boarded elsewhere (for example, as a franchise or booking service)
There are five types of animal boarding licence:
- boarding kennels – commercial premises boarding dogs overnight in purpose-built units
- catteries – commercial premises boarding cats overnight in purpose-built units
- non-residential dog day care centres – dogs looked after during the day but not kept overnight
- home boarding (dogs) – dogs cared for in a domestic home, including day care
- home boarding (dogs) arrangers – company, franchise, individual or website that arrange boarding at a satellite premises (individual satellite premises may also need a licence if they earn more than £1000 in any 12-month period, even if they are already listed on the arranger’s licence)
You can:
- apply for an animal boarding establishment licence
- renew an animal boarding establishment licence
- change an animal boarding establishment licence
Dangerous wild animal licence
You need a licence to keep certain wild, dangerous or exotic animals under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
Contact us at animallicencing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk to apply or ask for more information.
Horse microchipping legislation
Horse, ponies and donkey owners must microchip their animals under the Equine Identification Regulations.
Microchipping helps identify owners of stray or abandoned animals, reunite lost or stolen animals with their owners, and improve animal welfare.
For more information, email animallicencing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk or visit the World Horse Welfare Organisation. You can also view the legislation on GOV.UK.
Other animal licences
You can apply for the following licences on GOV.UK:
- register for the exhibition or training of performing animals
- change a performing animals registration
- apply for a pet shop licence
- renew a pet shop licence
- change a pet shop licence
- apply for a riding establishment licence
- change a riding establishment licence
- notification to operate a zoo
- apply for a zoo licence
- renew a zoo licence
- change a zoo licence
Contact us
For more information, email animallicencing@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.