Responsible Animal Ownership

• Important points to consider before you get a pet

  • Pet ownership can bring many benefits for the physical and mental health of their owners and they also provide a catalyst for building relationships.  However pet ownership is not a 'human right' and it comes with many responsibilities.  If you fail to meet your duties to your pet, your pet could suffer, and you will be in peril of breaking the law.  Therefore it is very important that before getting a pet you ask yourself an number of questions:
    • Do you have the knowledge required to be able to care for your pet? This is particularly important for exotic pets.
    • Are you able to put that knowledge into practice? This means:
      • Are you physically able to care for your pet? If you are not physically able is someone else able to assist with the care of your pet?
      • Have you got the time to meet your pets welfare needs? This is particularly important for dogs which bond closely with their owners.
      • Can you afford to meet your pets welfare needs. Pet ownership can be very expensive, for instance the cost of owning a cat over its lifetime is in the region of £12,000.
    • Do you have empathy with animals? There is a large variation in the depth of empathy for animals that we as human beings have.  People with empathy for animals make better pet owners. In extreme cases people can suffer from Empathy Deficit Disorder and without support they may not make the best owners.
  • If you are considering getting a pet please consider the questions that you may be asked by someone who is tasked with assessing your suitability as a pet owner.  The assessor may be the breeder of the animal, an animal rescue organisation or a landlord.  There are separate 'application form to keep a pet' for dogs, cats and rabbits for you to download.

• Dog Tax

  • Dog tax is payable annually at a rate of £10.00 per dog and must be renewed each January.
    • Tax is due for all dogs over the age of 6 months - the only exceptions being in respect of a dog kept solely by a deaf or disabled person for their hearing or guidance (e.g. guide dogs for the blind or hearing dogs for the deaf).
    • Please contact your parish constable to pay dog tax for each dog that you own - parish contact details available here.
    • Licences are non-transferable; even if a dog is given or sold to another person on the Island, a new licence will be required.  Should an owner move parish during the year, a new tax will not be required for that year.
    • Dog owners failing to pay the tax could be liable to a fine.
    • Dogs must also wear a collar bearing on it/having a disc attached to it with the initial letters of the Christian name and surname of the owner, along with the distinguishing letter of the parish in which the owner resides.

• Pet dogs, working dogs

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet and working dogs, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet cats

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet cats, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet birds

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet birds, and this link for guidance on the code.
  • Follow this link for the welfare guidance for backyard poultry.

• Pet gerbils

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet gerbils, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet guinea pigs

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet guinea pigs, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet hamsters

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet hamsters, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet mice

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet mice, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet rabbits

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet rabbits, and this link for guidance on the code. Follow this link for a rabbit housing size guide.

• Pet rats

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet rats, and this link for guidance on the code.

• Pet reptiles and amphibians

  • Follow this link for the welfare code for pet reptiles and amphibians, and this link for guidance on the code.

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