Licence - keeping dangerous wild animals – Licence Requirements

Do I need a licence to keep an exotic or wild animal as a pet?

If you keep an animal species classified under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act in the Maidstone Borough, you need to licence your animal or animals with Maidstone Borough Council. You still need a Dangerous Wild Animal licence even if your animal is a pet which will have no contact with the general public.

We will conduct inspections to your property to ensure that the animal’s welfare and public safety is properly managed. You must abide by any conditions we apply to your licence.

It is unlikely that you will need Planning Consents to keep Dangerous Wild Animals privately as pets. However, if you intend to breed your animals/use them for business purposes, you would then need planning permission from Maidstone Borough Council. If you are in any doubt, please contact the Planning Department on 01622 602000.

You must apply to the Local Authority where your animals are normally kept. Only apply to us if you keep them within the Maidstone Borough.

If you work with your animal or animals, for example, train them for display to the public, you will ALSO need a Performing Animal licence. Please see our website for further information.

Legal Regulations

Dangerous Wild Animals Licences are regulated under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976. Changes were made to this legislation in the Legislative Reform (Dangerous Wild Animals) (Licensing) Order 2010.

A full list of the species classed as Dangerous Wild Animals when kept privately is available in the schedule to the DWA Act 1976.

Am I eligible?

To apply for a Dangerous Wild Animals Licence, you must:

• Be over the age of 18
• Be a suitable person to care for and take responsibility for the animal or animals
• Have never been disqualified from keeping any dangerous wild animal

We will also consider very seriously any previous offences relating to the mistreatment of animals or negligence in the care of animals.

How much do licences cost, and how often are they renewed?

The Dangerous Wild Animals Licence fee for new licences and renewals is £70. The licence is renewable every other year, with payment of the fee in full.

A certified Council’s veterinary report signed by a veterinary officer also needs to be arranged. We will discuss this with you as part of our inspection. Please be aware that specialist veterinary fees for unusual or potentially dangerous animals can be expensive.

If deemed appropriate, we will arrange the necessary veterinary inspection, and the veterinary officer will invoice you for the veterinary fees in due course.

If you already have arrangements in place with a reputable specialist veterinary practitioner who can complete a certified Council’s report, please contact us for advice on the required format.

What should the application include?

You will need to provide:

• Details on the species, numbers and genders of animals you intend to keep
• The address of the premises where the animals will usually be housed
• A copy of your Public Liability Insurance to cover any damage your animals could cause
• A cheque to cover the application fee, made payable to Maidstone Borough Council
• You may also need to provide a plan of the premises where you keep your animal(s)

We strongly recommend that you arrange appropriate insurance to fully cover your animal(s), including any possible expenditure on veterinary bills in the event of ill-health or accident.

The application form for Dangerous Wild Animal Licences is available for download. Please complete and return it with payment to:

The Licensing Team, Maidstone House, King Street, Maidstone, Kent, ME15 6JQ

Please make cheques payable to Maidstone Borough Council.

Alternatively, please contact the Licensing Team on 01622 602727, and they will post you paper copies of the forms to fill in and return to us.

What happens next?

Once everything has been received, applications take 40 calendar days to process. During this time, we recommend you stay in touch, as we may need further information from you. We will contact you within 3-8 days of receiving your application to arrange a pre-inspection visit, which will take place within 10 days of receipt.

How will my application be assessed?

As part of the assessment procedure, we will need to make certain that public safety will be protected and that nuisance to local people is kept at a minimum. We cannot grant a licence if it is contrary to the public interest.

We will also need to conduct inspections etc. to ensure that:

• Any animal accommodation will prevent the animal’s escape, will be suitably constructed and of suitable size and capacity for the number of animals kept, and will be kept at appropriate temperature, lighting, ventilation, drainage and cleanliness levels
• All animals will be supplied with adequate and suitable food, drink and bedding material, and will be visited at suitable intervals
• A suitable emergency plan is in place to protect the animals in case of fire or other incident
• Health precautions are in place to prevent and control the spread of infectious diseases
• Adequate provision is made in the accommodation layout for the animals to exercise sufficiently

Once we are satisfied with your arrangements and have fully processed the licence, we will issue you with your licence certificate.

What do I do if I want to complain?

If you are unhappy with the service you have received from Maidstone Borough Council, you can view our complaints policy or make a compliant.

If you have any concerns over animal welfare or public safety in relation to Dangerous Wild Animals housed near you, or which you have visited,please contact us immediately using the details to the right of the screen.