Assessment of the new Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Dog Boarding Establishments (2016) and their impact on kennel size Kennel Sizes Based on the Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Dog Boarding Establishments (1963) The minimum size for a boarding kennel was made up from a 1.9 sq m bed area with a 2.46 sq m run and this kennel size would be suitable for dogs with a height of up to 610mm at the shoulder. For dogs taller than 610mm at the shoulder the minimum size requirement was a 1.9 sq m bed area with a 3.35 sq m run. To allow multiple occupancy the kennel must be of a suitable size to allow the dogs to lie down and the door must be able to be opened fully Kennelbuild Standard Kennels The standard Kennelbuild kennels to meet these criteria were sized as follows; Summary of previous size regulations The sizing of kennels using the previous regulations was based on the minimum sq m area and the height of the dog. Multiple occupancy kennels could only be used for dogs from the same household, with the owners permission and the dogs must be able to lie down comfortably with the door able to be fully opened. T: 01270 753493 E: info@kennelbuild.co.uk www.kennelbuild.co.uk Page 1 of 5
Kennel Sizes Based on the Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Dog Boarding Establishments (2016) The new regulations have a number of additions and amendments to the equation to calculate the required size of kennel for different dogs The kennel bed area; 1. Should be a minimum size of 2.0 sq m 2. Should be a minimum of twice the area required for the dog to lie down fully stretched out. 3. Should allow the dog to stand and wag its tail without touching the sides of the kennel. The kennel run area; 1. For dogs less than 20Kg in weight the minimum size of the run should be 2.5 sq m 2. For dogs greater than 20Kg in weight the minimum size of the run area should be 6.0 sq m Calculation of dog sizes As the new guidelines include a calculation based on the area of floor space taken up by a dog, this area must first be determined. A range of typical dogs and their calculated areas can be seen below. Possible Multiple Occupancy Rates For New Kennel Sizes Multiple occupancy availability for a range of dogs based on the new guidelines (2x the area of the dog required as a minimum) Each Chihuahua requires 0.28 sq m of bed area Each Boxer requires 1.44 sq m of bed area Each German Shepherd requires 2.22 sq m of bed area Each Great Dane requires 2.9 sq m of bed area T: 01270 753493 E: info@kennelbuild.co.uk www.kennelbuild.co.uk Page 2 of 5
The new Kennelbuild kennels to meet these criteria have been sized as follows; Summary of the kennel sizes under the new regulations The sizing of kennels using the new regulations is based on a minimum sq m area, the sq m area for the dog lying down, the length of the dog from nose to tail and the weight of the dog. Multiple occupancy kennel sizes are based on the sum of twice the lying down sq m area of the dogs and can only be used for dogs from the same household. 2.0 sq m Kennel is suitable for individual dogs less than 20Kg in weight and could hold up to 6 small breed dogs such as a Chihuahua 3.0 sq m Kennel is suitable for individual dogs of all sizes such as a German Shepherd or a Great Dane and could hold multiple dogs such as 2 Boxers or 10 Chihuahuas 4.5 sq m Kennel is suitable for individual dogs of all sizes such as a German Shepherd or a Great Dane and can hold multiple dogs such as 2 German Shepherds, 3 Boxers or 15 Chihuahuas 6.0 sq m Kennel is suitable for individual dogs of all sizes such as a German Shepherd or a Great Dane and could hold multiple dogs such as 2 Great Danes, 2 German Shepherds, 4 Boxers or 20 Chihuahuas T: 01270 753493 E: info@kennelbuild.co.uk www.kennelbuild.co.uk Page 3 of 5
Comparison of a typical 10 Kennel block under the previous and new regulations Previous Regulations Total Building Size - 166 sq m Number Of Kennels Individual Kennel Total Kennel Chihuahuas Possible No of Boxers German Shepherds Great Danes 3 5.4 16.2 10 6 3 1 3 6.2 18.6 12 6 3 1 4 8.3 33.2 17 9 8 8 10 TOTALS 68.0 39 21 14 10 New Regulations Total Building Size - 220 sq m Number Of Kennels Individual Kennel Total Kennel Chihuahuas Possible No of Boxers German Shepherds Great Danes 3 6.1 18.3 18 0 0 0 4 9.0 36.0 40 8 4 1 2 13.5 27.0 30 6 4 1 1 18.0 18.0 20 1 2 2 10 TOTALS 99.3 108 15 10 4 T: 01270 753493 E: info@kennelbuild.co.uk www.kennelbuild.co.uk Page 4 of 5
Summary The amount of kennel space required to board a greater than 20Kg dog has increased significantly under the new regulations with the run area being expanded to a minimum of 6 sq m. In conjunction with this the amount of space required for multiple occupancy of dogs within a kennel has effectively doubled. This has had a significant effect on the size of the building required for boarding dogs. In the typical 10 Kennel example shown for the previous guidelines a total area of Kennel space of 68.0 sq m is required. Under the new guidelines the total Kennel area requirement increases to 99.3 sq m, an increase in required kennel space of 31.3 sq m (~46%). The overall building size increases from 166 sq m to 220 sq m which is an increase of 54 sq m (~33%). Given that the sq m of a building is one of the biggest construction cost drivers this increase in size will have a significant impact on the cost of a new kennel building. In order to determine the licensed number of animals that can be boarded on site, consideration would need to be given to the types of dogs that could be boarded and the likely combinations of multiple occupancy so that the owner will have the greatest amount of flexibility to offer places to their customers. This determination is very complicated based on the multiple occupancy rules and would need to be done in conjunction with the Local Authority Licensing Officer. As well as the size increase there are other aspects of the new regulations that will also have a significant impact on the build costs for new boarding kennels and we are currently consulting with the Association of Licensed Kennels & Catteries (ALIKC) and our Local Authority Licensing Officer to review the regulations in full and understand the practical application and enforcement of the new regulations throughout the industry. Questions How will the licensed number of dogs on site be calculated? Will there be a need to measure each dog on acceptance into the boarding kennel to ensure that they are complying with the new regulations? How will the assessment of the actual number of dogs in a kennel be measured and enforced? What impact will the total number of licensed dogs have on noise assessments for planning applications for new build kennels? T: 01270 753493 E: info@kennelbuild.co.uk www.kennelbuild.co.uk Page 5 of 5