Responsible Pet Ownership
The Council strongly advises that anyone thinking of getting a
pet should have good knowledge and /or take professional advice on
the care of such animals before getting a pet. It is a licence
condition of pet shops within the District, that pet care leaflets
or other similar written instructions must be made available to
customers free of charge at the time of purchase and that proper
advice on the care of the animal must be given.
Once the pet has been acquired, responsible pet ownership should
include means of identifying the owner of the animal (e.g.
micro-chipping), consideration to neutering the animal to prevent
unwanted pregnancies, regular health checks, including vaccinations
where required and the safe and hygienic disposal of all animal
waste.
Pet owners must be aware of their responsibilities under the
Animal Welfare act 2006. Not only is it against the law to be cruel
to an animal, but owners must also ensure that the welfare needs of
their pets must be met (Animal Welfare Act 2006 section 9). These
include the need:
- for a suitable environment (place to live)
- for a suitable diet
- to exhibit normal behaviour patterns
- to be housed with or apart from other animals (if
applicable)
- to be protected from pain, suffering, injury and disease
The law also increases the minimum age a person can buy an
animal to 16 and prohibits giving animals as prizes to
unaccompanied children under this age. You should also be aware
that it is Rochford District Council policy that the conditions of
hiring or letting any of the Councils facilities - premises or land
- shall include a clause specifically banning the provision of live
creatures, animals or fish, as prizes. The Council encourages other
land owners to follow this lead.
Owners of cats; dogs; privately kept non-human primates and
horses, ponies, donkeys and their hybrids should also be aware that
the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has
introduced Codes of Practice for the welfare of these species.
Although a breach of a provision contained in these codes is not an
offence itself, if proceedings are brought against an owner/keeper
for an offence under section 9 of the Animal Welfare Act, the court
will look at whether or not the owner/keeper of the animal has
complied with the code in deciding if an offence has been
committed. Please see related links to down load copies of these
Codes of Practice.
Many pet owners now take their pets on holiday with them, with
this in mind; DEFRA has produced an advice leaflet for owners of
cats and dogs on protecting their welfare during journeys. A copy
of this leaflet can be found in related links. Further information
on travelling with pets can be found by visiting the DEFRA
website.
Pet owners are encouraged to control their animals properly to
avoid the possibility of them causing annoyance or distress to
members of the public or other animals.