Sale of livestock

No animal should be sold to any person under the age of 16 years who is unknown to the retailer unless that person is accompanied by a parent or legal guardian or provides appropriate written consent. Subsequent sales to a juvenile less than 16 years (but over 12 years) of age who is known to the retailer can be carried out in the absence of a parent or legal guardian or appropriate written consent, provided that the retailer is satisfied as far as possible that:

• the parent / guardian would not object to the acquisition;
• the juvenile is sufficiently knowledgeable as to the needs, care and nature of the species acquired;
• the juvenile’s intention towards the acquisition is consistent with the well-being of the animal concerned.

Application for a licence

Although not provided for in the Act, it is recommended that applicants consult their local authority prior to submitting an application.

Trade associations

Licensees are recommended to apply for membership of an appropriate trade organisation. These can be a useful source of advice on all matters relating to the running of a pet shop and the care and treatment of individual animals.

Boarding of animals

No pet shop should be used for the purpose of boarding any species of animal for which they are not licensed to sell. If it is intended to board cats and dogs, suitable and sufficient accommodation must be provided.

• N.B. Boarding of cats and dogs is subject to separate licence issued under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act.

Categories of animals which a pet shop may be licensed to keep

• Dogs and cats (puppies and kittens)
• Smaller domesticated mammals e.g. rabbits, guinea pigs, gerbils, hamsters, rats, mice, chinchillas, chipmunks, ferrets
• Larger domesticated mammals e.g. goats, pot-bellied pigs
• Primates e.g. marmosets
• Other mammals
• Parrots, parakeets and macaws
• Other birds
• Reptiles
• Amphibians
• Fish and aquatic invertebrates
• Other vertebrates

“No species of bird shall be housed in accommodation which does not afford that species sufficient space for natural free and full wing stretching and the number of birds housed shall be such that overcrowding does not significantly reduce that freedom.  Long tailed birds or birds in full plumage must be provided with properly placed perches and feeding and watering points to prevent the plumage being fouled or otherwise damaged.”(Wildlife and Countryside Act 1981)

• For perching birds, a sufficient number of perches (as appropriate) must be provided at such a height that the bird can rest its head without its head touching the top, and its tail the bottom of the cage
• A quality padded net should be used when catching birds in an aviary

Minimum floor areas apply to young stock. For adult stock offered for sale, the dimensions should be doubled.  For advice on the age of stock, it is advisable to contact the veterinary surgeon.

-	No. of animals	1-4	5	6	7	8	9	10	Minimum cage height	Minimum cage depth
Mice, Hamsters, gerbils	Sq.cm	450	525	600	675	750	825	900	25	25
Rats	Sq.cm	675	785	900	1010	1125	1235	1350	30	30
Guinea pigs	Sq.cm	1350	1570	1800	2020	2250	2470	2700	30	30
Rabbits up to 2kg, kittens, ferrets, chinchillas chipmunks	Sq.cm	2250	2625	3000	3375	3750	4125	4500	40	30
Puppies up to age of 12 weeks maximum	Sq.cm	10,000	12,500	15,000	17,500	20,000	22,500	25,000	Double height at shoulder minimum 50	0.9m

The range of behavioural opportunities for many of the animals listed in the above schedule will be increased by enriching the environment with accessories.

Raised shelving should be taken into consideration when assessing the total floor area.

Temporary (up to six days) rehousing of adult rabbits in smaller cages than specified above should be considered as acceptable.

The above recommended stocking densities are insufficient for the housing of marmosets. Marmosets must be housed in cages sufficiently large enough to allow for natural movement, such as climbing and swinging.

Other species should be housed in accommodation appropriate to size, age, and type of species; and to avoid overcrowding. There should be sufficient space for free and natural movement which should not be restricted by either the size of the accommodation or the number of animals in that holding. Correct temperature for the species must be maintained.

The advice and approval of the Licensing Authority should be sought wherever there is doubt about a species being sold.

It is virtually impossible to determine the quantity of fish to be kept  in a tank purely on a weight / volume or numbers of fish / volume ratio.

The variation in system design, husbandry techniques and types of fish involved would render any such method too simple to be useful or too complicated to be practical.

The maintenance of water quality standards is essential and is a simple but effective way to determine stocking densities.  Water quality testing should be carried out at least once a week in centralised systems and 10% of individual tanks should likewise be tested. Unsatisfactory test results must be recorded in a register together with the corrective action taken. Further tests must be carried out when visual inspection of the tanks indicates the need.

Water quality criteria (1mg/litre- 1ppm)

Parameters		Cold Water		Tropical Fish		Tropical Marine Species
* Dissolved oxygen	-min	6mg/litre	-min	6mg/litre	-min	5.5mg/litre
* Free ammonia	-max	0.02mg/litre	-max	0.02mg/litre	-max	0.01mg/litre
Nitrite	-max	0.2mg/litre	-max	0.2mg/litre	-max	0.125mg/litre
Nitrate	-max	50mg/litre above ambient tapwater	-max	50mg/litre above ambient tapwater	-max	40mg/litre ambient tapwater
*pH (tropical marine only)	-	-	-	-	-min	8.1

*These parameters should be checked first. Only if a problem exists with these tests is it necessary to check nitrite and nitrate levels.

Further advice and guidance on water quality criteria can be obtained from the:

Ornamental Aquatic Trade Association Ltd,
Unit 5, Narrow Wine Street,
Trowbridge,
Wiltshire BA14 8YY.  

Call: 01225-777177 or Fax: 01225-775523.