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business of selling animals as pets or keeping them with a view to sale.
"Animal" is defined as " any species of vertebrate." Licences are
renewable annually, and a fee of 10s. may be charged for them. In
considering an application for a licence, the Council must have regard
to the need for securing:—
(a) that animals will at all times be kept in accommodation suitable
as regards size, temperature, lighting, ventilation and
cleanliness;
(b) that animals will be adequately supplied with suitable food
and drink, and (so far as necessary) visited at suitable intervals;
(c) that mammals will not be sold at too early an age;
(d) that all reasonable precautions will be taken to prevent spread
of infectious disease among animals;
(e) that appropriate steps will be taken in case of fire or other
emergency.
These matters are without prejudice to the Council's discretion to
withhold a licence on other grounds. It is also required that the licence
shall specify such conditions as the Council consider necessary to secure
all or any of the objects set out above. In this connection the Council
adopted a standard set of conditions prepared by the Metropolitan
Boroughs' Standing Joint Committee. A person aggrieved by the refusal
of a licence, or by any condition subject to which it is proposed to be
granted, has a right of appeal to a Court of Summary Jurisdiction.
Fourteen applications for licences were received. In considering
arrangements for the inspection of the premises, it was deemed inadvisable,
having regard to the matters to be considered when deciding
whether to grant or refuse them, and in the subsequent administration
of the Act, for expert advice to be available. An approach on this
matter was therefore made to the Royal Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Animals, who very kindly agreed to their local officer
accompanying the Sanitary Inspector on his initial visit to the premises,
and also being available for consultation and advice at any future time.
All the premises were, however, found to be suitable, and the licences
were duly granted, subject to the standard conditions referred to above.
A total of 17 visits were made during the year.
Heating Appliances (Fireguards) Act, 1952.
This Act received Royal assent on the 1st August, 1952, but does
not come into force until a date to be appointed by the Secretary of
State. It will be enforceable by the Council, who have authorised the
Medical Officer of Health, the Deputy Medical Officer of Health, and
the Sanitary Inspectors to act on their behalf.
The Act prohibits, subject to certain minor exceptions, the sale
or exposure for sale, or the letting or offer for letting under a hirepurchase
agreement or on hire, of any appliance required by regulations
to be made under the Act to be fitted with a guard, if either the guard
is not fitted or it does not comply with the standard prescribed for it
by the regulations.
The date of operation had not been fixed, nor had regulations been
made, by the end of the year, and no action could therefore be taken.