Animal welfare

The Council is responsible for issuing licences to animal establishments within the Borough and can therefore act on reports of abuse, neglect or concerns over animal welfare within these establishments.

We can also investigate problems with odours, waste or contamination by animals within the borough but we are unable to address issues of animal welfare in private properties.

Dartford Council are happy to advise on animal welfare issues and assist where possible during normal working hours but would recommend contacting the RSPCA for general animal concerns on 0300 1234 999.

Dogs Die in Hot Cars

During the warm weather the inside of a car can get very hot, very quickly. If you leave your dog in your car, the heat can have a detrimental effect on the animal a lot sooner than you may think.

When the temperature reaches 22C/72F outside, the temperature inside a car can reach 47C/117F within an hour. Leaving your window open or covering your windscreen has very little effect on cooling the vehicle down.

It is a legal requirement under the Animal Welfare Act to care for your animal and if you put your pet at risk and leave your dog in a hot car you could face prosecution.

Dogs in hot cars can begin to pant very quickly. This can be the start of heatstroke. Once a dog has heatstroke it can die very quickly.

If you see a dog locked in a car during hot weather please contact the RSPCA's 24-hour Cruelty line on 0300 1234 999 or call Dartford Borough Council's Animal Control Officer on 01322 343434 or Kent Police on 01622 690690.

RSPCA

If you need to report an act of cruelty, neglect or concern about the welfare of an animal, call the RSPCA's 24-hour national cruelty and advice line on 0300 1234 999.

• www.rspca.org.uk

Animal Samaritans

The aims of Animal Samaritans are to rescue, provide care and shelter for unwanted, abandoned, neglected or ill-treated animals and to provide new homes for them wherever possible. To assist owners of pets to meet veterinary fees where they are unable to meet such fees themselves. Phone for North West Kent branch 0208 303 1859

• Website: www.animalsamaritans.org.uk

Premises Requiring Licenses

If you wish to apply, change or renew an animal activity licence, you must follow the rules on licensing.  You must also fulfill the statutory guidance for complying with licensing standards and conditions.

The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) introduced a new regime on 1st October 2018 for the licensing of the following types of activities:

• Selling of animals as pets (formerly known as a Pet Shop Licence)
• Hiring out Horses (formerly known as Riding Establishments Licence)
• Breeding of dogs
• Boarding for cats in catteries
• Boarding for dogs in kennels
• Home boarding for dogs
• Day care for dogs (dog crèches)
• Training animals for exhibition (formerly known as Performing Animals Licence)
• Dangerous wild animals
• Zoos

Please note:  there are no changes to the existing arrangements to apply for a dangerous wild animals licence under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.

• Dogs

  Contact Dartford Borough Council's Animal Control Officer, 01322 343088 or 01322 343434, we may have already picked your dog up. Also try contacting neighbouring Councils (Gravesend: 01474 337 334, Bexley: 0208 303 7777, Sevenoaks: 01732 227 000)

• Animals and pest control

  The Environmental Health team provides a pest control service and issues animal and welfare licences. We also have an Animal Control Officer/Dog Warden service

• Urban foxes

  The fox is an opportunist which has adapted perfectly to urban and suburban environments. It is a small member of the canine family, an omnivore that will eat practically anything.

• Hiring out Horses

  To run a riding establishment (where horses or ponies are hired out for riding or used for riding instruction) in the Dartford Borough, you will need a licence from us.

• Zoo Licence

  Zoo Licence

• Keeping or Training animals for exhibitions

  If you exhibit, use or train performing animals in the Dartford district, you must be registered with us.

• Animal Boarding Licence

  To run a boarding kennel or cattery in the borough of Dartford, you need a licence from us.

• Breeding of Dogs Licence

  All dog breeding establishments require a valid licence to operate.

• Dangerous Wild Animal Licence

  The keeping of certain species of wild and exotic animals is controlled by the Dangerous Wild Animals Act. No one may keep any dangerous wild animal listed in The Dangerous Wild Animals Act without first obtaining a licence from us

• Sale of Animals as Pets

  To run a business selling pet animals in the Dartford borough you will need a licence. This includes all commercial selling of pet animals, including pet shops and businesses selling animals over the Internet.

• Advice on Cats

  Advice on Cats

• Home Boarding and Day Care for Dogs

  Home Boarding and Day Care for Dogs