FAQ

Answer:: A licence will enable a professional dog walker to walk up to SIX dogs at any one time. The council undertook a benchmarking exercise and found that local authorities who had brought in a maximum number of dogs PSPO order, the maximum number of dogs that they permitted being walked by an individual at any one time was six. The council wants to set a balance between supporting business and public safety.

Answer:: No. The professional dog walker licence allows for the walking of five or six dogs at any one time. If you will not walk more than four dogs at any one time, you will not need to obtain a professional dog walker license.

Answer:

Professional dog walkers may apply for a professional dog walking licence. However, the maximum number of dogs you can walk at any one time with a professional dog walkers licence is six. One person will not be able to walk more than six dogs at any one time even with a professional dog walkers licence.
If you are not a professional dog walker, you may consider applying to become a professional dog walker, or you will need to make alternative dog walking arrangements. For example, ensuring there is more than one responsible adult per four dogs or walking dogs on a rota.

Answer:: From 1 April 2026. This is because new fees and charges are introduced at the start of a new financial year.

Answer:: As part of the PSPO, the council has limited the number of dogs that one person can walk at any time to four. A professional dog walkers licence allows professional dog walkers to walk up to six dogs at any one time.

Answer:

Evidence suggests that this is the maximum number of dogs that the average adult could be expected to control at any one time. This PSPO order has been introduced for public safety.
To obtain a professional dog walkers licence you / your business must meet a number of conditions. These include providing evidence of adequate insurance, skills and experience to safely walk up to six dogs at any one time.

Answer:: You will not be fined if you can show proof of submission of an application.

Answer:: A dog walker licence is valid for 1 year from the date of issue. You must apply to renew your Licence before it expires.

Answer:: The annual fee has been set at this amount due to the operational needs to run the licensing scheme. It ensures compliance with safety and welfare standards. It covers the costs and time spent to issue the licence and is benchmarked against other local authorities to ensure it is reasonable.

Answer:: It is not possible to pay by instalments. A licence is only issued after we are paid in full with a completed application form and the required supporting evidence.

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