New guidelines aim to bring a halt to unscrupulous breeders

COUNCIL chiefs have launched a new set of guidelines to help keep animals safe and stop unscrupulous businesses making a "quick buck" at the expense of puppies, kittens and other popular pets.

- CARL EVE

Plymouth City Council has said its new animal licensing policy looks set to be adopted and hope it will help make things clearer for people who run businesses involving animals, such as dog breeding, boarding of cats and dogs, including day care for dogs, keeping or training animals for exhibition and hiring out horses.

The new policy, which comes into effect on April 1, outlines the council's process for issuing an animal activities licence, but sets out clearly that applicants must: Have no relevant convictions; have not been disqualified from holding a licence; have the knowledge, experience, compliance history, and ability to comply with licence rules and safeguard the welfare of animals in their care; has made suitable management and training arrangements to safeguard and protect any staff and/ or members of the public who may be affected by the licensed activity.