Renfrewshire Council

The keeping and running of a pet shop is controlled by the Pet Animals Act 1951.

You can't have a pet shop unless you have first been granted a licence from the Council.  A pet shop licence may be issued provided the applicant is not disqualified under any of the following Acts:

• The Pet Animals Act 1951
• The Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963
• The Protection of Animals (Amendment ) Act 1954
• The Protection of Animals (Cruelty to Dogs) (Scotland) Act 1934.

How to apply for a licence

Applicants should complete the application form which is available in the 'related media' section of this page.
On request an application form will be forwarded to the applicant for completion by post.
On receipt of the application form the council will arrange for an officer to carry out an inspection of the premises to ensure its suitability for use as a pet shop.
Dependent on the findings of the inspection a licence may or may not be issued.

• Refer to the conditions of licence for required evidence/information.
• Please refer to the fees and charges page for current cost of a licence.
• You must contact us immediately with any changes of circumstances.

Application forms

To apply for a new licence to operate a pet shop, download and complete the pet shop licence form (see related content).

Conditions of the licence

The Chartered Institute of Environmental Health website has published model terms and conditions. Please refer to the Model Conditions for Pet Vending.

The licence lasts for one year. The onus is on the licence holder to apply for a renewal of the licence in good time, you will not receive any reminder from the Council. Please apply for your following year licence by 30 September to allow our Service time to process the new licence.

If you are refused a licence

Any person aggrieved by a refusal to be granted a licence or by any conditions to which a licence is subject may appeal to the Sheriff who may give such directions regarding the licence or its conditions as it thinks proper.

Further information

• If any condition subject to which the licence is granted, is contravened or not complied with, the person to whom the licence is granted shall be guilty of an offence.
• Any person convicted of an offence under this Act is liable to a fine; furthermore the court which convicts any person of an offence under this Act or related legislation may also cancel the licence and impose a period of disqualification.
• The expression "the keeping of a pet shop" is, subject to certain provisions, to be construed as meaning the carrying on at premises (including a private dwelling) of a business of selling animals as pets and as including references to the keeping of animals with a view to their being sold in the course of such a business.
• It shall be an offence for any person to carry on a business of selling animals as pets in any part of a street or public place or at a stall or barrow in a market.
• It shall be an offence for any person to sell an animal as a pet to a person whom he/she has reasonable cause to believe to be under the age of twelve years.
• Any of the council's officers or any veterinary surgeon or veterinary practitioner may, if authorised do so by the council in writing, enter and inspect at all reasonable times any premises for which a licence has been granted and any animals found there or anything inside, for the purpose of finding out whether an offence has been or is being committed under the Act

Inspections

Annual inspections are carried out by a Public Health Enforcement Officer (Environmental Health) and/or a vet.

Pet shop licence holders register