New Licensing Regulation - Share Your Concerns

Are you concerned about how the new regulations will effect your business? Here is who to address those concerns too...

The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Guidance notes for conditions for providing day care for dogs

It's important that the voices of small businesses are heard when it comes to making regulations that affect them. You can sign the petition here to request the guidance be clarified, but it's also important to share your personal experience and the impact the regulations will have on your business with the people that will be considering the changes.

Here are some tips on writing a letter to share your opinions:

Starting Your Letter

Start your letter by explaining why you are writing, who you are and saying a little bit about your business. You might like to mention:

Your experience
Any qualifications you have
How long you've been running your business/held a licence
What services you offer

Example

Dear Sir/Madam

I'm writing to you about the new Animal Licensing Regulations. My name is Jane Barker and I am the owner of Barkers Dog Boarding. I am an experience dog owner and have been running a licensed home boarding and day care service for the past four years. I'm worried about the effect the new regulations will have on my business.

Highlight any issues you'd like to raise

Next discuss the issues you have with the new regulations and say how they will affect your business.

You can read the full regulations in the guidance notes here:

Some common issues include:

The requirement for every dog to have a designated room with a full height inward opening door - this may restrict the number of dogs you can board if your house is more open plan and you may feel like exist measures you use such as trial days, gates, room dividers and emergency contacts already allow you to separate dogs if and when necessary.
The rule that day care dogs must be kept on-lead but boarded dogs can be walked off-lead with permission - if you offer both services, sometimes to the same dogs, this rule seems illogical and may make it harder to provide appropriate exercise to meet dogs needs.
Limited to walking four dogs at once - this may affect you if you sometimes walk more than four dogs or use a secure field to exercise more than four dogs at once. If you run a day care and won't be able to leave any dogs at home unsupervised this means realistically you won't be able to care for more than four dogs.
High fees - the fees vary between councils from around £80 to over £700. It was promised that the regulations would reward good businesses with lower fees. Check what your council plans to charge.
You could also say what you agree with in the regulations. We don't think it's all bad, some changes could be good if they are implemented properly, such as having the same rules for everyone instead of different rules in different councils areas.

For example:

I feel that the requirement for designated rooms for every dog in my care is unnecessary and will reduce the number of dogs I can care for reducing my income and making my business less viable. I already carefully select dogs and hold familiarisation sessions to ensure dogs are compatible and fit my household to prevent issues. If I should have to separate dogs (and this has only happened once in the four years I have operated) I have steps in place to allow this; these include safety gates and the use of my utility room. I also have an arrangement with my vet for isolating sick dogs and hold emergency contact details so dogs can be collected quickly from my setting or alternatively I will arrange kennel accommodation.
I feel that owner's book with me because they want dogs to live together in a home from home space, not to be housed in rooms like a kennel.

Summarise your points

Finish off your letter by summarising your points and how they will impact your business, and what you'd like to happen.

Example:

In summary, I hope you will consider removing the requirement for designated rooms, or at least allowing dogs from the same family to share, and allowing day care dogs to exercise off lead. Without these changes I'm concerned I will not be able to continue with my business.

Regards
Jane Barker
Barkers Home Boarding