Reports of animal welfare concerns are on the rise in Hillingdon, according to a recent meeting of the Residents' Services Select Committee. The increase is primarily driven by residents reporting concerns about neighbours, barking dogs, smelly premises, or witnessed incidents.
The committee reviewed a report on animal welfare and licensing, highlighting the council's responsibilities under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and related regulations. The report indicated a notable increase in animal welfare reports, with 15 received in the first six months of 2025, compared to just 9 for the entirety of 2024.
The council is responsible for licensing various activities involving animals, including:
- Selling animals as pets
- Providing boarding for cats
- Providing boarding for dogs in kennels
- Providing boarding for dogs in a residential home (home boarding)
- Providing day care for dogs
- Hiring out horses for riding or instruction
- Dog breeding
- Training animals for exhibition
Once a business is licensed, it is inspected at least once during the term of the licence to ensure required welfare standards are met.
The report also detailed a 2018 case study involving Galyna Khudyakova and Volodymyr Tymoshenko, who were fined nearly £50,000 for breeding and selling dogs and cats without a licence. The council was awarded £282,738 in a possession order, with the defendants currently paying costs in monthly installments.
Another case study highlighted the discovery of a stray dog named Frankie, who was found emaciated and suffering from a severe skin condition. The dog required urgent veterinary treatment, and an investigation is underway to consider potential fines.
The updated Council Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), which came into force on 1 May 2025, also addresses animal welfare concerns. The Council's full PSPO can be found here. The PSPO imposes offences for dog walkers, including being in sole charge of more than the permitted number of dogs without a licence and failing to remove dog faeces.
Under the updated PSPO, a person is considered to be in charge of too many dogs if they are in sole charge of:
- Four dogs in a public space without a Dog Walkers licence
- Six dogs in a public space with a Dog Walkers licence
The Hillingdon Annual Dog stats April 2024 - Mar 2025 show that of the 44 dogs that were reclaimed following collection as strays by the Council's contracted Stray Dog Service, SDK Environmental Services Ltd, only 30 were microchipped. The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 require that all cats and dogs in England be microchipped by a certain age and registered on a compliant database. Specifically, cats must be microchipped by 20 weeks of age, and dogs by 8 weeks of age. Failure to comply with these regulations can result in a fine of up to £500. Council officers are focusing on improving microchipping rates by following up on non-microchipped dogs and providing education to the local community.
The report also touched on animal disease and contingency plans, noting that the two most prevalent diseases currently are avian influenza and bluetongue. In the case of Bluetongue, a 10km temporary control zone (TCZ) may be put in place around the affected farms which will restrict all movements of susceptible animals except under veterinary licence.
When avian influenza is confirmed in poultry at an individual premises, a declaration will be served on the premises, and a 3km Protection and 10km Surveillance Zones are declared to prevent the spread of disease beyond the area around the infected farm.
