AQW 673/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 27/05/2022
Answered On Date: 14/06/2022
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs to identify mitigations to allow existing home care dog boarding providers to operate, given The Animal Boarding Establishments Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1974 does not recognise home care dog boarding.

Answer:

It is acknowledged that complying with existing licensing requirements can be difficult for dog home boarding businesses. The Department has not, therefore, required businesses undertaking this activity to cease trading but works closely with operators to encourage them to meet licencing conditions where they are able to do so.

My Department is committed to reviewing and updating the licensing system for animal boarding establishments, including those that provide boarding from homes, during this mandate. To this end, my officials are presently planning a schedule of animal welfare related legislation to be progressed during this mandate. This will include action on this matter.

Please be assured, however, that, in the meantime, any dogs cared for in a home setting continue to be protected by the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 which provides enforcement agencies with substantial powers to act in situations where an animal is subject to unnecessary suffering in any setting.