Investigations into Unlicensed Dog Boarding / Kennels (2021–2025)
Case reference FOI2025/01280
Received 3 December 2025
Published 15 December 2025
Request
I am writing under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information concerning unlicensed dog‑boarding establishments (kennels, home‑boarding, dog‑daycare, etc.) within the authority’s area over the past five years (2021–2025 inclusive — or the most recent five‑year period for which data is held).
Requested information
1. The total number of investigations / enforcement actions your authority has opened in that period into unlicensed dog‑boarding / animal‑boarding establishments (kennels, catteries, day‑care, home‑boarding, etc.).
2. For each such investigation / enforcement action:
* Name and (full or partial) address / postcode of the premises (or a unique reference ID)
* Date when investigation/enforcement began
* Type of alleged breach (e.g. operating without a licence; unlicensed boarding; failure to meet licence/animal‑welfare standards)
* Outcome of the investigation (e.g. licence issued, prosecution, closure, warning, no further action)
* If prosecution: date of conviction, offence, penalty/outcome (fine, ban, destruction of licence, etc.)
1. The number of complaints or reports received by your authority (from public, other agencies or referrals) relating to suspected unlicensed animal‑boarding / dog‑boarding establishments over that period (2021–2025). If your records are held on a different basis (e.g. financial years, calendar years, licences by year etc.)
Response
Please see attached an Excel spreadsheet containing the response to your request.
Please note, all complaints are investigated so the requested information provided is treating them both as one of the same.
Further, we have not included information for Q2, Name and (full or partial)address / postcode of the premises (or a unique reference ID) as we consider that this constitutes personal data as set out in the Data Protection Act 2018 and is exempt from disclosure under Section 40 (2) 'Data Protection' of the Freedom of Information Act (2000).Section 40(2) of the FOIA states that information is exempt from disclosure if it constitutes the personal data of a third party and its disclosure under the FOIA would breach any of the data protection principles under the Data Protection Act. We consider that disclosure of this information would contravene the first data principle that'personal data shall be processed lawfully, fairly and in a transparent manner in relation to the data subject'. The Council recognises that you have a legitimate interest in the disclosure of the information, however we consider that disclosure of the information into the public domain is not necessary to meet your legitimate interest.We consider that the public interest in maintaining the exception outweighs the public interest in disclosure; if we were to disclose this information we would be processing the data in a way which was not intended by the third parties concerned. Based on these arguments the information which has been redacted from the information provided should be withheld.
Documents
This is Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's response to a freedom of information (FOI) or environmental information regulations (EIR) request.