Environment

In the aftermath of the Foot and Mouth outbreak a rigorous regime of licensing which controls the movement of a range of animals has been introduced. The most common animals whose movements have to be licensed are sheep, pigs and cows. There is also legislation that requires premises such as pet shops, animal boarding establishments and those holding certain types of dangerous animals to be licensed by the Council.

The Animal Health Inspectors make regular inspections of farms, slaughterhouses and animal transporters to ensure high standards of animal welfare. The officers are also responsible for licensing pet shops, dog breeding establishments and the keeping of dangerous wild animals. If you suspect that farm animals or animals in pet shops are being subjected to unnecessary suffering or cruelty, the animal health inspectors will investigate. We do not, however, deal with domestic pet animal suffering or cruelty. This is dealt with by the RSPCA.

The movement of farm animals is strictly controlled in order to prevent the spread of diseases. Animal movements are controlled by licences and these licences can be obtained from your local DEFRA (Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs) office, or the DEFRA website.