Dudley Council are responsible for ensuring satisfactory animal welfare standards, and will investigate any complaints about businesses or concerns about animal welfare within the borough.
To ensure the health and welfare of animals, prevent the spread of disease, and protect the safety of the public. It is vital that a licence is held for certain activities and premises where animals may be kept.
We have a statutory duty to ensure all captive, domestic, and wild animals have a good quality of life. View our responsibilities and duties to protect the local area, and protection of animals.
Visit Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) for the latest news in safeguarding our natural environment and for updates on bird flu (avian influenza)
Further Information
To ensure that premises are suitable and standards of care for the animals are met, businesses are routinely inspected by local vets or one of our inspection officers.
The minimum standard of conditions are as below:
Accommodation is suitable in terms of size, construction, temperature, lighting, ventilation and cleanliness.
Animals are adequately supplied with suitable food, drink, and bedding material.
Animals are adequately exercised.
All reasonable precautions are taken to prevent and control the spread of infectious or contagious diseases among animals.
Appropriate steps will be taken for the protection of the animals in the case of fire or other emergency.
It has been illegal to feed catering waste to farmed animals since 2001. Find more information as to what constitutes 'catering waste' and where you can legally dispose of it.
The Council can provide advice on a range ofDog Welfare and Controlissues including stray dogs, dog fouling and noise from barking dogs.
Unforeseen events such as admission to hospital or residential care are difficult to deal with, however if you have a pet this can add further distress.
There are a number of options that you may wish to consider:
Ask family, friends or neighbours if they would be prepared to look after your pet if such an emergency occurred.
Ask your local vet or the RSPCA to suggest some options.
You could also contact our staff on 0300 555 2345 and ask for advice.
The Cinnamon Trust is a nationwide charitable organisation for the elderly who have registered volunteers that work across the UK.
A minority of owners have kept their horses on Council owned or private land illegally. This in turn has caused a number of problems to the public by depriving them of the use of property, such as forestry or park land,theyhave been responsible for attacks on the public, and have caused a number of serious road traffic accidents. Both the Council and the Police are keen to respond to these reports.
We encourage members of the public to report any incidents to us using the form at the bottom of the page.
All information given will be forwarded to both the enforcement agency, bailiff and the Police as appropriate.
Badgers frequently roam for food, and often cause damage to fencing and gardens while doing so. Due to the protection of the species it is illegal for anyone to disturb them or their setts and will need a licence to take action against them.
You can however deter badgers from making further damage. Find out more about preventingbadgers on your land or garden, and whether you will need a licence.
Some birds can cause a nuisance including making a noise, fouling and causing property damage. Find out more information on how you can resolve a bird nuisance problem, and the right course of action to do so without causing welfare problems for the birds.
