Keeping or Training Animals for Exhibition
A licence is required for keeping or training animals for exhibition in the course of a business for educational or entertainment purposes to any person attending in person or by the recording of visual images of them by any form of technology that enables the display of such images.
The definition of business is whether the operator:
- makes any sale by, or otherwise carries on, the activity with a view to making a profit, or
- earns any commission or fee from the activity.
Examples include mobile animal exhibits visiting schools, weddings, private parties and fairs, pony parties where the horses are not ridden, animals used in films or TV, exhibiting domestic animals in a circus or any business outside of England that brings in animals for exhibition.
If you are unsure whether you need a licence, then please contact the Licensing Authority who will advise as to whether a licence is required or not based on your individual circumstances.
The hiring of horses is regulated by the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018 which came into force in October 2018.
The attached link will take you to the Defra Guidance where you can check the specific guidance around the activity you are enquiring about Animal activities licensing: statutory guidance for local authorities - GOV.UK [external link]
If you are holding an event that involves the exhibition of animals, you would need to see the exhibitor’s licence before the animals can be showed at the event.
Any individual can apply for a licence if they can demonstrate that they are:
- a fit and proper person;
- not disqualified from holding a licence (in accordance with Regulation 11 and Schedule 8). The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 [external link]
- complete the keeping or training animals for exhibition application form [pdf document]
You will need to submit the application fee at the same time as your application. For details of fees, please see our licensing fees page of our website.
A plan and any required procedures/policies must be submitted with the application form.
Once your licence has been granted, you will have to submit a licence fee before the licence is issued to you.
Tacit consent does not apply. It is in the public interest that we must process your application before it can be granted. If you have not heard from us within a reasonable period, please get in touch by calling 01325 405888 or email [email protected]
We aim to process your application within 10 weeks of receiving a complete application. If this target is not met, then the application is not automatically granted. This means that you can’t keep or train animals for exhibition until a licence has been issued.
Once we have received your application, we will contact you to arrange an inspection.
During an inspection, we will check that you comply with the standard conditions and the specific conditions for keeping or training animals for exhibition.
You will need to meet all conditions to be granted a licence.
The conditions require you to keep and maintain documents and records.
The licence will last for 3 years.
Once the licence has been granted, Officers will carry out an unannounced inspection of the premises during the course of the licence to ensure that the conditions are still being met.
Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence may appeal to a First Tier Tribunal [external link] within 28 days beginning with the day following the date of the decision.
For more information about the appeal process and the form you'll need to complete, see General Regulatory Chamber's Notice of appeal form and guidance. [external link]
If you wish to vary your licence, please complete the attached variation application form [pdf document] and submit to the Licensing Department along with the fee and any supporting documents.
On receipt of an application, an Officer will be in contact to arrange an inspection. A full inspection of the whole premises will be carried out to ensure compliance with the conditions and guidance. The premises will be re-rated which can lead to a lower or higher rating being awarded.
After the inspection, a decision will be made as to whether a licence will be granted or not.
A reminder letter will be sent out three months before the expiry of your licence. As it may take up to 10 weeks to process your application, you are advised to submit your renewal application in plenty of time.
You will not be permitted to trade once your licence has expired if the renewal application hasn’t been determined.