Shepway · Maidstone
How to Start a Dog Walking Business in Shepway
What you need to know about local licensing, insurance and getting started -- specific to Shepway and the wider Maidstone area.
If you're weighing up a dog walking business in Shepway, the key distinction to get right from day one is walking versus day care or overnight boarding -- only the latter needs an animal activities licence. Here's the breakdown for Shepway and Maidstone.
Shepway at a glance
A Nation of Dog Owners
The UK is home to well over 12 million pet dogs -- a population that, across Maidstone as much as anywhere, keeps generating steady demand for reliable daytime dog walking.
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Dog Walking in Shepway
What the rules say
Plain dog walking carries no general UK-wide licence. The line to watch is day care and home boarding -- both are licensable under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, unlike walking itself, and neither is covered by this guide. Separately, and genuinely locally: some councils and specific parks run their own dog-walking licence or permit schemes, and dogs-per-walker limits (where they exist at all) are set locally, often via a Public Spaces Protection Order -- there's no single national number, so check the specific area you plan to walk in. Every dog must wear a collar showing the owner's name and address under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, and clearing up after your dogs is a legal duty enforced through local PSPOs. Public liability insurance stays optional in law for a sole trader; employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement from your first non-family employee onward.
Questions about starting in Shepway
Do I need a licence to start a dog walking business in Shepway?
No general national licence covers plain dog walking. Some councils and specific parks run their own professional dog-walking licence or permit schemes, so check directly with the council or parks team covering Shepway before you start.
Is dog walking the same as dog day care or home boarding for licensing purposes in Shepway?
No -- day care and home boarding are licensable activities under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, wherever you're based, including Shepway. Plain dog walking with no overnight stay generally isn't, which is why this guide covers walking only.
How many dogs can I walk at once in Shepway?
There's no UK-wide limit. Some councils set a cap via a Public Spaces Protection Order, commonly for use on their own land or parks, but plenty have no limit at all -- check the specific council or park you plan to use in Shepway.
Do I need insurance to start a dog walking business in Shepway?
Public liability insurance isn't a legal requirement for a sole trader, but it's close to standard practice across Shepway and Maidstone, and some local licences require proof of it as a condition. Employers' liability insurance is a legal requirement once you take on any staff.
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