Application for dog daycare facility in Merthyr under consideration following concerns over non compliance

Councillors are set to consider an application for a dog daycare facility in Merthyr Tydfil after concerns have been raised over non-compliance.

A licensing committee meeting on Thursday, April 29, is set to discuss an animal boarding licence application for Dogsden Daycare Ltd on Pant Industrial Estate.

The premises were inspected by the licensing department and an authorised veterinary surgeon and were found to be incompatible with the conditions attached to commercial boarding establishments.

The veterinary report has concluded that a licence cannot be supported due to significant non-compliance.

This matter was initially scheduled to be heard by the licensing sub-committee on April 1 2020 but had to be deferred due to the national lockdown implemented by the central government in view of the Coronavirus pandemic.

A further hearing planned for October 10, 2020, was adjourned for the applicant to carry out an independent inspection and report.

An initial enquiry came through to the council about this in November 2019 and a site visit was initially arranged for November 11, 2019.

On January 6, 2020, the council received information that a dog daycare facility was advertising its services on Facebook within the Merthyr Tydfil borough.

A warning letter was sent to the applicant with another application form and another copy of the standard conditions attached to a boarding licence for dogs.

The application was officially submitted on January 8, 2020, but an initial site visit by the licensing department took place on January 7, 2020, and the report said that at this visit it was clear that building work was still being undertaken and that the premises were not ready for use in its current state.

The applicant was further advised that in their current format the pens and enclosures he had for the dogs did not look to be big enough in accordance with Merthyr Tydfil County Borough Council’s standard conditions attached to an Animal Boarding Licence (Dogs).

The first inspection of the premises took place on January 14, 2020, and it became evident upon entry to the premises that they were not ready to be licensed, according to the report.

At this inspection, the applicant was told that the pens and enclosures for the dogs were too small and were not in compliance so they would not be licensed.

The report said that extensive work was still being carried on and the main floor area of the premises was covered in building equipment.

The isolation unit was in the main room next to pens and enclosures that other dogs would be using and this was also not in compliance with the standard conditions.

In discussions with the applicant, the possibility of reducing the number of dogs initially and then expanding over time was discussed.

On, February 4 2020 the council received a copy of the plans in relation to the premises.

The licensing officer emailed the applicant to seek clarification with regards to a couple of issues identified on the plans.

Amended plans were received by the council on February 21, 2020, and an inspection planned for February 24, 2020.

Following this inspection and discussions that took place, the veterinary report was received on Monday, March 2 advises: “The significant non-compliance noted above prevents me from supporting a licence for this facility.”

The report said that whilst improvements had been made in some areas, the premises were still not compliant with the standard conditions.

It also said the conduct of the applicant during the inspection was not acceptable and so the council cut it short.

Since the planned April and October meetings did not go ahead, the applicant’s legal representatives have provided inspection reports but they were conducted and based on the conditions that would only apply to premises in England.