Kirklees Council have announced a price increase for a home boarding license (a license required by law in order to board dogs as a business). The new license fee for a 3 year license has risen from £342 to £1650 (plus a £221 consideration fee = £1871).

Whilst this may be feasible for larger kennel type establishments, it is not feasible for small boarding establishments. To put this into perspective, if a home boarding businesss would normally charge £30 a night, they instead would charge £144 a night if they were to use the same price increase - a rate which is totally unrealistic. 

The council areas surrounding Kirklees have not increased their license fees by the same amount, putting small business owners in Kirklees at a significant disadvantage. Here is an example of some other local council licensing fees:

LEEDS: 
Doggy day care (1 to 10 dogs) 
First Fee: £255.00 
Second Fee: £148.40

CALDERDALE: 
Application Fee: £227 
Fee on grant of license: £182 
Star Rating Assessment: £209.38

WAKEFIELD: 
Application Fee: £217.00. 
License Fee: £124.00 

BRADFORD: 
One off fee of £107

It is therefore deemed unjustified that Kirklees are charging just short of £2000 to renew a license. 

Small home boarding establishments that board between 1-6 dogs cannot sustain this operating cost, ultimately meaning that many will not be renewing their licenses, and therefore can no longer offer home boarding.

Not only is this the livlihood of some and will be detrimental to small business owners, but it will also create a further shortage of good quality homeboarding establishments across Kirklees.  In turn, this could result in an increase of welfare concerns of the dogs who may be placed in unlicensed establishments as the owners have no other choice. 

Please help to save our businesses by showing your support and signing this petition so Kirklees Council can see how many people this is going to effect (both businesses and dog owners). Thank you.