Welsh retail members will need to get ready for a potential change to pet shop licensing rules after the Welsh Senedd voted in a new law that takes effect from 10 September. The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Wales) Regulations 2021 covers the sale of all animals as pets, and includes a ban on the third party sale of cats and dogs.
We understand that guidance will now be created for local authorities and we have offered our help with this, based on our experiences with the guidance produced for the new animal activities licensing regime in England.
We have also been told there will be a transition period during which licences under the Pet Animal Act 1951 which remain valid when the new regulation comes into force can continue to be used on the original terms until expiry (1951 Act licences last a year).
We have also been told that aquaculture production business authorised under regulation 5(1) of the Aquatic Animal Health (England and Wales) Regulations 2009 will not need to be licensed under the new regulation.
You can find more here in Pet Business World. https://www.petbusinessworld.co.uk/news/feed/wales-votes-to-protect-its-pets
