Animal licences 

If your business is closed and you are unable to pay the licence fee when due over the next few months, you can ask for a suspension of your licence by emailing licensing@merton.gov.uk.

You need a licence for the following activities:

• Selling animals as pets
• Providing or arranging the provision of boarding for cats or dogs (including day care)
• Hiring out of Horses
• Breeding dogs
• Keeping or training animals for exhibition

There will be a set of general conditions that apply to all licences and a set of specific conditions that will apply to specific animal activity. You will need to comply with both sets of conditions.

An inspection of the premises will take place. Our inspections will be carried out by the City of London animal health inspectors, who will contact you to arrange a visit.

If you have a current licence under one of the above activities, you will need to apply for a licence under the new regulations when your licence expires.

The regulations and guidance notes regarding these conditions are available below.

There are no changes to dangerous wild animal licences or zoo licences.

• Application form
• Animal Activity Fees
• Animal Activities Request for a Re-Rating Evaluation
• Appeals process for animal licensing ratings
• Requests for Re-rating Guidance for Animal Activities Licences

Regulations

Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018

Guidance

Animal activities licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities