Activities licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing Act)
Case reference FOI2024/00089
Published 12 February 2024
Request
Freedom of Information request - activities licensed under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018 Reasons for making the Freedom of Information request We are making this Freedom of Information request for two reasons. First, because we are concerned about the welfare of rabbits in farm parks, petting zoos and other such establishments, and are keen, where needed, to work with those establishments to educate them and help improve the welfare of the rabbits they are responsible for. Secondly, because as we are currently experiencing the worst rabbit rescue crisis we have ever seen, we want to understand more about the breeding of rabbits in England - in particular, how much of that is licensed. Due to the rabbit rescue crisis and the fact that rescue centres are struggling to cope with the amount of rabbits being abandoned, mistreated or surrendered, we launched a Breeding Amnesty Campaign (https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/breedingamnesty/) in 2022. It is supported by many well-known animal welfare organisations including the RSPCA, Woodgreen, and the Blue Cross. It is also supported by Gumtree and Preloved where rabbits are often advertised for sale. We are working to gather support and evidence to back our call for the Government to amend the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018 (LAIA Regulations 2018). One of the amendments we are seeking is that the breeding of rabbits is made a specific licensable activity, as the breeding of dogs currently is. Our view is that the current legislation does not catch the majority of those breeding rabbits (as they are not doing it in the "course of a business"), which means there are likely to be a large number of rabbit breeders who are not subject to inspections, do not have to adhere to specific welfare standards set out in legislation (as dog breeders do), and who may therefore sell baby rabbits that are in poor health, or without carrying out home-checks or supplying any care information. This is resulting in more rabbits being abandoned or surrendered than the rescue centres can take in, and the numbers show no sign of letting up. Our online petition, which we started on 31 January 2023 and currently has over 80,000 signatures, sets out the legislative changes that we are asking for in more detail (https://www.change.org/p/amend-the-animal-welfare-act-2006-to-include-rabbit-breeding-legislation). Freedom of Information request Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, I am therefore writing to request the following information: 1. The number of licences (current only) you have issued under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018 (LAIA Regulations 2018) (this being the licensable activity of "Keeping or training animals for exhibition") to farm parks, petting zoos, city farms or any other set-ups/establishments where animals are exhibited to the public. 1. The names and addresses of those establishments. 1. Details of how many of these licensed establishments exhibit (or have, or will, exhibit) rabbits. 1. Details of how many inspectors you have appointed under reg.4(2)(a) of the LAIA Regulations 2018. 1. Details of who is responsible for dealing with animal welfare complaints relating to farm park, petting zoos and other such establishments in your area. 1. Contact details for that person/those people. 1. Details regarding how often the establishments licensed under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 are inspected. 1. What guidance the inspectors appointed under regulation 4(2)(a) of the LAIA Regulations 2018 are given as to how they are to establish that the welfare needs of the rabbits they are inspecting are being met by the farm park, petting zoo etc. (For example, are they given a copy of the Good Practice Code for the Welfare of Rabbits - https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/Rabbit-CoP-July-2023.pdf?) 1. The number of licences (issued at all times since the LAIA Regulations 2018 came into force) under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 have been suspended or revoked under the powers in regulation 15, and why? 1. The number of licences (current only) you have issued under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 (this being the licensable activity of "Selling animals as pets")? 1. Details of how many of these licensed sellers sell rabbits? 1. Details of how many of these licensed sellers sell only rabbits? 1. Details of how many of these licensed sellers are pet shops, and how many are private individuals? 1. Details of who is responsible for dealing with animal welfare complaints relating to these sellers (of any animals, not just rabbits)? 1. Contact details for that person/those people. 1. The criteria you use for determining whether the "business test" in paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 is met. 1. The level of income the sellers licensed under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 need in order to be deemed to be selling animals "in the course of a business". 1. Whether you have a dedicated animal welfare officer/team? 1. If so, what their contact details are. I am happy to receive the information in an electronic format. Thank you for your assistance and I look forward to hearing from you.
Response
1. The number of licences (current only) you have issued under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018 (LAIA Regulations 2018) (this being the licensable activity of "Keeping or training animals for exhibition") to farm parks, petting zoos, city farms or any other set-ups/establishments where animals are exhibited to the public.
One licence, Als Owls, 22 Waynflete Road, Barton, Oxford OX3 8BG
2.The names and addresses of those establishments.
(a2)Als Owls, 22 Waynflete Road, Barton, Oxford OX3 8BG
3. Details of how many of these licensed establishments exhibit (or have, or will, exhibit) rabbits.
None.
4. Details of how many inspectors you have appointed under reg.4(2)(a) of the LAIA Regulations 2018.
We use a third-party sub-contractor.
5. Details of who is responsible for dealing with animal welfare complaints relating to farm park,petting zoos and other such establishments in your area.
The Business Regulation miscellaneous licensing team.
6. Contact details for that person/those people.
licensingmisc@oxford.gov.uk
7. Details regarding how often the establishments licensed under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 are inspected.
In accordance with the LAIA Regulations 2018 for exhibiting animals - upon grant or renewal,which is every three years.
8. What guidance the inspectors appointed under regulation 4(2)(a) of the LAIA Regulations 2018 are given as to how they are to establish that the welfare needs of the rabbits they are inspecting are being met by the farm park, petting zoo etc. (For example, are they given a copy of the Good Practice Code for the Welfare of Rabbits - https://rabbitwelfare.co.uk/wpcontent/ uploads/2023/09/Rabbit-CoP-July-2023.pdf?)
Currently there is no guidance provided, as we do not have any establishments licensed for the exhibition of rabbits. If there are changes, we would review appropriate guidance at the time.
9. The number of licences (issued at all times since the LAIA Regulations 2018 came into force) under paragraph 10 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 have been suspended or revoked under the powers in regulation 15, and why?
None.
10. The number of licences (current only) you have issued under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 (this being the licensable activity of "Selling animals as pets")?
3.
11. Details of how many of these licensed sellers sell rabbits?
2.
12. Details of how many of these licensed sellers sell only rabbits?
None.
13. Details of how many of these licensed sellers are pet shops, and how many are private individuals?
All pet shops.
14. Details of who is responsible for dealing with animal welfare complaints relating to these sellers (of any animals, not just rabbits)?
The business regulation miscellaneous licensing team.
15. Contact details for that person/those people.
licensingmisc@oxford.gov.uk
16. The criteria you use for determining whether the "business test" in paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 is met.
The required criteria as laid down in the guidance to the LAIA regs.
17. The level of income the sellers licensed under paragraph 2 of Schedule 1 to the LAIA Regulations 2018 need in order to be deemed to be selling animals "in the course of a business".
It isn't a set amount, the business test described in the guidance is followed. The recommended amount in that guidance is £1000.
18. Whether you have a dedicated animal welfare officer/team?
It is the responsibility of the miscellaneous licensing team, amongst this team's other responsibilities.
19. If so, what their contact details are.
licensingmisc@oxford.gov.uk
Documents
This is Oxford City Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.
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