District Dispatch - 24 June 2025
With the summer holidays just around the corner, many of you across the district may be planning a well-earned break — and if you have a pet at home, you might be thinking about who will care for them while you are away.
If you're considering paying someone to look after your dog or cat, it's really important to choose a licensed and trustworthy provider. We're lucky to have some excellent licensed animal businesses in the Chichester District that offer high standards of care. However, I'm sad to say that we also come across businesses who fall short of the required welfare standards, and businesses that profit from illegal dog breeding under very poor conditions. This is something we continue to tackle in the district.
The best way to protect your pet is by using a licensed business. Whether your pet is staying overnight at a kennel, cattery, or with a home boarder — or even just spending the day at a doggy day care — these services must be licensed by the council. This means they've been inspected by our Environmental Protection Team to make sure they meet all the legal welfare standards, giving you peace of mind. Just so you know, pet sitters who come to your home don't need a licence.
When visiting a day care or kennel, look out for their licence on display — it should be easy to spot, but if not, don't hesitate to ask. You can also check our current animal licence register to make sure your chosen provider is listed. If you're unsure, feel free to call our friendly Environmental Protection Team on 01243 534598 or email environmentalprotect@chichester.gov.uk — they'll be happy to help. And if you suspect a business isn't licensed, you can report it on the Report an Alleged Unlicensed Premises Form webpage and we'll look into it.
If you're hiring a dog walker, it's good to know that this service isn't currently licensed, so we recommend asking a few questions to make sure your dog will be in safe hands. Find out how many dogs they walk at once, whether they'll be on or off the lead, and where they'll be walking. A good dog walker should also ask you about your dog's recall and behaviour with others — that's a great sign they're thinking about your pet's wellbeing.
Our pets are part of the family, and we all want to know they're being well cared for while we're away. By following these simple steps, you can relax and enjoy your holiday knowing that your pet is in safe hands. You can find more information on the animal licences webpage. Even if you're taking your dog with you on holiday, it's a good time to make sure the contact details on their collar and microchip are up to date so they can be re-united with you if they get lost.
If you're looking for fun things to do this summer, I would also encourage you to sign up for our monthly email newsletter, initiatives+. It's packed with the latest events and activities happening across the district. It's a great way to stay in the loop and make the most of what's on offer. Signing up is quick and easy. It's also worth having a look at our What's On pages on our website, where we list all of the local community events and activities that we are made aware of.
Whatever you decide to do over the summer period, I hope you have a wonderful time!
Best Wishes
Cllr Jonathan Brown
Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environmental Strategy at Chichester District Council
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