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51
Pet Animals Act, 1951.—This Act, introduced to regulate the
sale of pet animals with particular reference to their welfare prior
to sale, became operative from 1st April, 1952, since when it became
an offence to keep a pet shop except under licence from the Local
Authority.
The Act defines " the keeping of a pet shop " as the carrying
on at premises of any nature (including a private dwelling) of a
business of selling animals as pets and as including the keeping of
animals in such premises with a view to their being sold in the
course of such business, whether by the keeper thereof or by any
other person. The term " animal " includes any form of vertebrate.
" Premises " includes any stall or barrow in a market but not any
stall elsewhere or any part of a street or public place.
Licences, renewable annually, are issued on payment of 10/and
are valid to the 31st December of each year.
When considering applications for licences, attention must be
paid by the Council to the following conditions :—
(а) that animals will at all times be kept in accommodation suitable
as regards size, temperature, lighting, ventilation and
cleanliness ;
(б) 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.
In this connection a schedule concerning the method of securing
these conditions was drawn up by the Metropolitan Boroughs'
Standing Joint Committee and was adopted by the Council in its
entirety.
At the end of the year five licences were in operation and four
inspections were carried out by the Sanitary Inspectors in connection
with the issuing of such licences.
Land Charges Act, 1925.—Under this Act enquiries concern—
ing outstanding notices under the Public Health and Housing Acts
on properties in the Borough are received from time to time by the
Town Clerk. During the year 897 reports on such enquiries were
forwarded to his department.