Pets and pests (section 15)

15.1.  You must notify us prior to getting an animal that will be kept in the property or in the vicinity of the property.

15.2.  You must get our written permission if you want to keep more than one domestic animal such as cat, dog, caged bird, or small animal.

15.3.  You must keep any animals under proper control.

15.4.  If you keep a dog, you must keep the dog on a lead at all times except within your own home and garden unless the garden is a shared garden.

15.5.  If you keep a dog you must also comply with the Control of Dogs Order 1992 which says that a dog must wear a collar and tag giving the owner’s name and address at all times while in public. You must also comply with the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 which says that every dog over eight weeks old must be micro chipped and relevant owners’ details kept up to date.

If you keep poultry, including chickens, or any other captive birds, regardless of the number, you must register them with the Animal and Plant Health Agency and comply with any requirements specified by the Animal and Plant Health Agency.

15.6.  You must not keep unsuitable animals in your home, garden, or outbuildings. Unsuitable animals include, but not limited to:

• Wild animals
• Poisonous insects and spiders
• Poisonous or dangerous snakes or fish and large reptiles.

In addition:

• Animals registered under the Dangerous Wild Animals Act 1976.
• Farm animals – for example, sheep, goats, pigs, cattle and horses.
• Dogs specified under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 (as amended) except a Dog for which you and/or a member of your household and/or any visitors have obtained a valid certificate of exemption.

15.7.  Any animal you keep or any animal in your home must not cause any damage to your home. You must not allow your home to become unhygienic from any animal. We will charge you the costs if we have to clean up after a pet, or repair damage caused by a pet, which is owned by you, a member of your household, a lodger, sub-tenant or visitor.

15.8.  You, and anyone living with you, must not allow your pets to harm, frighten, annoy or cause a nuisance to any officer of the Council or its employees and/or agents, or anybody in the neighbourhood. This includes:

• Letting your dog bark excessively
• Failing to keep your pet under control, and
• Creating any kind of danger to people’s health

15.9.  You, or anyone else living with you, must make sure your pet or any other animal does not prevent any officers, employees and/or agents of the Council from getting into your home.

15.10. You must care for any animal in your home. We will ask you to remove an animal or withdraw our permission for you to have an animal if we believe that any animal you keep is neglected, causing a nuisance or we believe it is unsuitable to be kept in the property. We will do this in writing giving our reasons and the date by which you must comply. If you fail to do so, we may take legal action against you.

15.11. You must not allow your pets to foul public areas. You must collect any faeces and dispose of them immediately in a hygienic way. You must also take reasonable steps to clear up the area.

15.12. You must take all reasonable steps to prevent your pets or visitors’ pets from fouling the inside of your property or any shared areas.

15.13. You must not allow any animal droppings to build up in your garden including shared gardens and/or balconies.

15.14. You must not build a chicken coop, pigeon coop or aviary without first getting our written permission. If you own pigeons you must keep your home, your garden area and any balcony you have free from pigeon droppings.

15.15. You must not run a pet/animal business from your home. This includes breeding animals for sale or boarding kennels.

15.16. Failure to comply with the above clauses may lead to permission being refused and/or being withdrawn and you being asked to remove the pet(s) from your home.

15.17. You must keep your home free of pests and avoid doing anything which encourages an infestation of insects, vermin or other pests including but not limited to rats and pigeons, in either your home or shared areas. You must not throw scraps of food out of the window as this can lead to infestations. You must not feed rats, squirrels, pigeons or other vermin either at your home or within your garden, shared areas or in your local neighbourhood.

15.18. You must report any infestation in your home or garden, including shared garden, to us as soon as possible.

15.19. You are responsible for dealing with infestations and pests in your home or garden including but not limited to bed bugs, mice, rats, cockroaches and pharaoh ants. If you do not take reasonable steps to deal with infestations we will arrange and pay for the reasonable cost of special cleaning and any additional professional treatment that is necessary to deal with the infestation. This cost will be re-charged to you.