Did you know that volunteers working on behalf of charities/rescues moving pets must have an animal transporter license?
Being a volunteer pet transporter on behalf of charities/animal rescues involved in rehoming is considered to be an economic activity.
Therefore anyone doing it should have the necessary animal transporter authorisation. Otherwise, they would be breaking animal welfare guidelines. This is especially true for journeys over 40 miles/63km.
Ideally the rescue/charity should have the appropriate authorisation and name the volunteer as a driver. Or the volunteer should have their own authorisation. Many rescues use volunteers. It doesn’t matter if they’re volunteering, or only getting fuel money, they must still be licensed.
DEFRA also states that transporters are not permitted to pick up or drop off along routes. Places such as car parks and service stations, laybys etc. It has to be the destination address. Doing part of the journey and transferring to another vehicle on route, for instance, is breaking the rules.
Volunteers and animal charities/rescues they help probably do have good intentions. We understand the reasons are due to lack of funding. However, unless they’re authorised they will not be following strict animal welfare guidelines. Their personal car insurance may also not be valid if anything were to happen to the pet on route.
Is it worth risking the welfare of the pets in their care just for the sake of the bottom line? Cutting costs is good for the charity. However, doing it at the expense of the animals they’re supposed to be helping, is not – our pets deserve better.
Anyone caught not operating within the correct parameters of the law could be subject to a fine and banned from transporting animals, or further penalties under The Welfare of Animals (Transport) (England) Order 2006.
We just hope these these charities/rescues have the said license or use a volunteer pet transporter with the necessary authorisation, so that they are all operating within the law.
It’s always better to use an DEFRA authorised animal transporter.
Get in Touch to find out about the concessions available for charities and animal rescues.