You will need to apply for an animal welfare licence if you are:
- dog breeding
- animal boarding
- keeping or training animals for exhibit
- selling animals as pets
- hiring out horses
Types of licence
Each licence has different criteria and conditions attached.
Anyone who carries out any of the licensable activities without a licence is liable on conviction to imprisonment for a term of up to 6 months, a fine or both.
Dog breeding
You need a licence if you either:
- breed puppies and advertise them for sale
- breed more than 2 litters of puppies at any one time (unless you can show none of the puppies were sold)
Find more guidance about dog breeding licence on GOV.UK
Find out more information about licence conditions for dog breeding on GOV.UK
Animal boarding
You need a licence for providing any of the following:
- boarding for cats
- boarding in kennels or home boarding for dogs
- day care for dogs
Find more guidance about boarding for cats or dogs licence on GOV.UK
Find out more information about licence conditions for animal activities on GOV.UK
Keeping or training animals for exhibit
You need a licence if you run a business that keeps or trains animals for:
- exhibiting purposes
- educational purposes
Find more guidance about keeping or training animals for exhibitions licence on GOV.UK
Find out more information about licence conditions for keeping or training animals for exhibit on GOV.UK
Selling animals as pets
You need a licence if you run a business selling animals as pets (pet shops).
Find more guidance about selling animals as pets licence on GOV.UK
Find out more information about licence conditions for selling animals as pets on GOV.UK
Hiring out horses
You need a licence if you hire out horses for:
- riding schools
- horse trekking
- pony riding parties
- hunts (hunter hirelings)
- polo or polocrosse instruction
- pony and donkey rides
Find more guidance about hiring out horses licence on GOV.UK
Find out more information about licence conditions for hiring out horses on GOV.UK
Apply for an animal welfare licence
Only individuals can apply for an animal welfare licence.
Applications cannot be made by any individual who has:
- a special disqualification
- had certain licenses removed from them in the past
To find out who is disqualified or not allowed to hold a licence, visit schedule 8, regulation 11, of the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals (England) Regulations 2018.
For further information on the requirements and conditions, see The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018.
Costs and fees
Visit the Cumberland Council fees and charges webpage.
Enclose a cheque for the relevant fee, made out to Allerdale Borough Council.
You can pay by debit or credit card by calling 0300 373 3730.
Application forms
To apply or renew your licence, you will need to complete the form for the licence you are applying for.
Send your application to:
The Environmental Health Department
Cumberland Council
Allerdale House
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 3YJ
Send your application to:
The Food and Occupational Health Department
Cumberland Council
Allerdale House
Workington
Cumbria
CA14 3YJ
After you’ve applied
After receiving your application and payment, a licensing officer will contact you. Arrangements will be made to carry out an inspection of your premises.
The inspection is to make sure the premises meet the standards required by the regulations.
If your application is refused
If you are refused a licence, you will not be refunded the application fee. This fee is used to assess your application.
If you want to appeal the decision or challenge the licensing conditions, you can take your case to the local Magistrates Court.