Hi
Can someone tell me if there is any legislation to prevent any Tom, Dick or Harry from setting up a breed rescue?  Are there any Kennel Club rules by which they have to abide or societies to which they have to affiliate?  Also, from the commercial perspective are they beholden to register for charitable status and/or to publish accounts? 

Many thanks

Jan

PS  No, I am NOT thinking of starting a rescue myself before anyone asks!  :-)

The first thing you have to read through is the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 for permission to keep animals in kennels which do not entirely belong to you then apply to your local council and they supply you with as much information as needed.

Hi Keira
What about a rescue that doesn't actually house the dogs but acts more like a canine dating agency....ie taking details of dogs and then matching them up with prospective adopters over the internet.  What legislation, if any, would they be bound by?

Thanks for your help.

If there's no housing of dogs on the premises then it would be classed as a "private" business, as long as the funding for the business was coming out of your own pocket and not relying on those from other people. Only when the funds for the business is from other people who are not directly in control of the business it then becomes a "charity". This is where you would have to apply to be a registered charity with a unique number.

The best Acts to look through and get advice from would be:
The Pet Animals Act 1951
The Breeding and Sale of Dogs (Welfare) Act 1999

Both are available on the defra site (www.defra.gov.uk) - apologies, can't do links!

Hi, To get on the Kennel Club list of breed rescues you  have to be approved by at least one the your breed's clubs, then they will list you in the Rescue Directory, which comes out annually and goes to Vets, etc.  This is a subject close to my heart, as we took over running our breed rescue 3 years ago, when we discovered the old network had simply vanished!  We have an agreement with a licensed boarding kennel who houses our rescue dogs at cost, so did not need to apply for boarding licence.  Have just gone through the "hoop jumping" stage of applying for Charitable status (paperwork is horrific)  It was very hard indeed to find out just what we should be doing, and how to do it.  Got lots of help and info from other breeds rescues and a little help and advice from the KC.  Jsut had a letter about an upconing seminar for rescues , covering lots of important subjects, inlcuding legal requirements and insurance (very hard to find for a rescue).  HAving re-read your post i am not sure if you are worried about somehone setting up a rescue improperley, or if you need help wiht one, if the latter I can let you know of the seminar details when we get them
bye
Gwen