UK's Pet Care Trust calls for targeted enforcement

The Department of Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is sticking to its plans calling for regular inspections with an obligatory veterinary presence, rather than basing inspections on a sensible risk assessment. "This is completely unnecessary," says Janet Nunn, Chief Executive of the Pet Care Trust. "Pet shops, kennels and catteries house healthy animals. Routine inspections are expensive and inconsistent in quality. A statutory vet inspection is pointless when many pet shops already have an excellent working relationship with their local vet." Instead of annual or 18-month licenses, the Pet Care Trust supports enforcement by perpetual licence or registration. This registration would then be renewed whenever substantive changes occurred, for instance with a change of business ownership.