Dog Control Service

Dog Licencing
 

Where can you obtain a dog licence?

If you own a dog you must have a dog licence which must be renewed every 12 months. If you live within the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council area you should obtain a licence from the Environmental Health Service Unit. You can obtain it in person at any of the council facilities, request an application form by post by telephoning 028 9244 7397 or apply online.

Alternatively you can download the application form here and return it to the address provided on the form.

How much does it cost?

Depending on your circumstances the licence costs are:

• £12.50 for unsterilised dogs.
• £32 for a block licence (applicable if you have more than three dogs).
• A breeder’s licence is also available for breeding establishments.
• £5 if your dog is sterilised or you receive an income–related benefit.
• FREE for anyone over 65 for the first dog licence is free and licences for additional dogs are £5.

The Department of Agriculture and Rural Development set the dog licence rate.

Your dog must be microchipped to enable you to be granted a dog licence.

Block Licence

In certain circumstances, the owner of three or more dogs may apply for a ‘block licence’.

A block licence is available to an owner of three or more dogs kept on the same premises as long as at least three are unsterilised bitches, which between them breed less than 3 litters in a 12 month period, or the premises are registered guard dog kennels, or where at least three dogs are registered with one of the following bodies:

• the Kennel Club
• the Irish Coursing Club
• the Masters of Foxhounds Association
• the Masters of Harriers and Beagles Association
• the Northern Ireland Masters of Hounds Association
• the International Sheep Dog Society

The block licence application form can be downloaded here

What are the benefits of having a dog licence?

A dog’s licence offers some proof of ownership. It is a legal requirement that anyone in possession of a dog must hold a valid licence. The details of the dog owner and the dog are registered with the Council. Each owner will receive a copy of the licence, which contains the dog’s own personal identification number.

When are you required to licence a dog?

Before taking possession of a dog or puppy, owners should ensure that they have already purchased a dog licence. 

If your dog dies and you have a valid licence for it, it is possible to transfer that licence should you obtain another dog within 30 days.

Is a dog licence transferable from one person to another?

No.

Penalties for no licence

If you keep a dog without a licence, you can be issued with a fixed penalty of £80. Non-payment of this could result in a fine of up to £1,000.

Additional means of identification

Microchipping gives dog owners piece of mind that if lost their dog can be traced back to them. Microchips are a computerised capsule, the size of a grain of rice, containing the dog owner's details and are injected under the dog’s skin. The insertion process is quick and virtually painless, with no after effects. The microchip stays in place for an average of 25 years, longer than a dog’s lifespan.

All dogs will be microchipped before leaving our kennels.

Privacy notice in relation to application forms

Your Personal Data:

What we need

Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council is the ‘Controller’ of the personal data that you provide to us. We only collect basic personal data, this does not include any special types of information, it does however include name, address, email etc.

Why we need it

We need to know your basic personal data in order to provide you with a dog licence. We will not collect any personal data from you we do not need in order to provide and oversee this service to you.

What we do with it

All personal data that we process is processed by our staff in the UK however for the purposes of IT hosting and maintenance this information is located on servers within the European Union. We outsource our data processing activities to Tascomi who’s Dog Licensing Solution platform manages the licencing process. We have a Data Protection regime in place to oversee the effective and secure processing of your personal data.

For further details including our use of cookies please view our LCCC Website Privacy Statement or the Tascomi Privacy Policy

How long we keep it

We are required under UK law to keep your basic personal data (name, address, contact details) for 2 years after which time it will be destroyed. Information that you provide for marketing purposes will be retained until you notify us that you no longer wish to receive this information.

What we would also like to do with it

We would however like to use your name and email address to provide you with other council education and promotional information. This information is not shared with third party processors and you can unsubscribe at any time via phone, email or by post.

What are your rights?

If at any point you believe the information we process on you is incorrect you may request to see this information and even have it corrected or deleted. If you wish to raise a complaint on how we have handled your personal data, you can contact our Data Protection Officer who will investigate the matter. If you are not satisfied with our response or believe we are processing your personal data not in accordance with the law you have the right to complain to the Information Commissioner’s Office (ICO). Our Data Protection Officer can contacted at: data.protection@lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk full details of can be found on the Lisburn & Castlereagh City Council website: www.lisburncastlereagh.gov.uk

For more information on purchasing a dog and responsible dog ownership please visit the NI Direct website by clicking here. For more information on dog licensing and microchipping please click here.