Animal welfare

Animal welfare is an important service within the council.

Get in touch with our in-house Animal Welfare Officer (details in the contact section of this page) if you require any of the following services:

• Control of stray dogs
• Companion Animal Licensing (such as pet shops, boarding establishments, dangerous wild animals and so on).
• Farmed Animal Legislation and support including movement licenses an disease control.
• Animal transport legislation and advice.
• Animal Welfare Act 2006.

Working within the law

We work in conjunction with the following to ensure compliance with legislation governing the health and welfare of farm animals.  This includes responding to complaints of neglect or ill treatment of livestock on farms, during transport and at markets and so on.

• Animal Health (formerly the State Vet Service).
• The Rural Payments Agency.
• Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA).

Legislation can be viewed on the Ministry of Justice website and further information with regards farmed animals, animal transportation legislation and disease control can be found on the DEFRA website.

Ministry of Justice website; 

DEFRA website

We also assist with regulations that are in place to control animal movements.  Movement Licence forms for pigs, sheep, goat and deer should be sent to the address listed in the contact section on this page.

Cattle movements should be reported through the British Cattle Movements Society.  

British Cattle Movements Society 

Cruelty to animals - who should you call?

If you suspect that an animal of any kind is being subjected to any form of cruelty then you may wish to contact the RSPCA National Cruelty helpline on 0300 1234 999.

If you would like to know more on any of the issues raised or indeed any other related matters then please call the Animal Welfare Officer on the details in the contact section of this page.