Did you know that animal therapy and exhibition work requires a council licence?
Many people are surprised to learn that taking animals into care homes, schools and community settings as part of a paid service requires a licence under the Animal Welfare Regulations 2018.
At Furry Friends Animal Therapy, we are proud to hold a full Animal Exhibition Licence issued by East Riding of Yorkshire Council.
In many ways, this is similar to CQC or Ofsted, but for animal welfare. Our premises, procedures, transport arrangements and welfare standards are inspected to make sure we meet strict regulations.
Behind every visit is a huge amount of unseen work. This includes risk assessments, care plans, training, competency checks, emergency procedures, welfare monitoring, insurance, licensing, payroll, vet checks and ongoing inspections.
We also follow the Five Animal Welfare Needs, making sure every animal’s physical and emotional wellbeing is prioritised at all times. This means making sure they have the right environment, diet, housing, companionship, healthcare and freedom to behave naturally.
Not every animal is suitable for therapy or exhibition work, and that is something we take very seriously. We have many more animals at home than the ones people meet during visits, because each animal is carefully considered as an individual.
Achieving and maintaining a licence takes a lot of work, but regulation is absolutely necessary. It protects the animals, reassures the people we visit, and helps maintain the high standards of welfare that sit at the heart of everything we do.
Because for us, animal-assisted therapy is not just about bringing animals to people.
It is about doing it safely, legally, ethically and with welfare first, always.
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