Issue - meetings

A report from the Assistant Director (Localities) is attached.

A report by the Assistant Director (Localities)was submitted to the Licensing and Safety Panel in relation to a request from a Licence Holder to remove condition 28 from his licence.  The Licensing Unit Manager read the report explaining that the Animal Boarding Establishment Act 1963 is the relevant legislation which relates to the boarding of dogs and cats, and includes dog crèches.  The Council has specific conditions which relate to all forms of boarding of animals including those at Dog crèches.

On 12 October 2010, the Licensing and Safety Panel considered and approved licence conditions relating to dog crèches in order to give more specific control in this growing market.  The report is in relation to condition 28 which states ‘full males, bitches in season and puppies under six months of age must not be boarded with other dogs’.  Bury Council adopted this particular condition in order to ensure the safety of all dogs attending a crèche.

Mr Luke Millington, Managing Director of Stay N Play Doggy Day care and the joint Licence Holder of the establishment along with Mr Jason Morgan, attended on behalf of both Licence Holders and explained to the Panel that they have held a licence under the Animal Boarding Establishment Act for a dog crèche since 1 September 2016 and on 12 December 2016; the Licensing Service received a request from Mr Millington to remove condition 28 from the licence. 

Mrs Sandra Coombes, Enforcement Officer in Animal Heath, attended the meeting and explained that things now are different from 1963 and people like to have day care for their animals and this does not include boarding over night.  Condition 28 is to ensure the safe provision and welfare of all the animals.

Mr Millington attended the meeting with his Mother in Law and addressed the Licensing and Safety Panel and explained that after speaking to various veterinary nurse practitioners and other professionals he believed it was important for dogs to socialise from a very young age. He stated that over 90% of aggression in dogs is due to fear and that could be addressed in a puppy for it to learn how to act and react and greet other dogs to give confidence and to find its place within a pack.

Mr Millington explained that at the licensed premises, the dogs are integrated initially on a one to one basis and if there are any dogs that are aggressive they are put into a separate cage and the owner informed that they cannot be accommodated.  Although it is an industrial unit there are various areas off the unit in which to separate dogs if necessary.   The current licence is for 34 dogs but the Day Care has only 20 at any one time.  There are 8 members of staff in total and always 4 on site, making the ratio 1 member of staff to 5 dogs. 

Following various questions by the members of the Licensing and Safety Panel, Mr Millington explained that he  ...  view the full minutes text for item 436