Good records are most of what an inspector looks at. The regulations don’t give you a form to fill in; they tell you what must be recorded and leave the format to you. This guide lists each record the law or the statutory guidance expects a licensed pet seller in England to keep, what it needs to contain, and how long to keep it. If you’d rather not design your own, our free templates cover each one.
The three-year rule
Schedule 2, paragraph 2 of the 2018 regulations says all records required by the licence must be available for inspection in a readable form and kept for at least three years from the date they were created. Electronic records are fine provided you can produce them readably. In practice that means two things: don’t throw away last year’s check sheets, and make sure you could show an inspector a record from any day in the last three years within a few minutes.
1. The animal register
This is the record Schedule 3 asks for by name. For every animal, or group of fish, on the premises it must record:
- the full name of the supplier
- the animal’s sex (where it can be determined)
- its age
- any veterinary treatment it has had
- the date it was born on the premises or acquired
- the date it was sold
- the date it died, if it did
Animals undergoing medical treatment must be clearly marked and must not be sold, so the register (or the enclosure label) needs a way to show that.
Good practice that inspectors like to see, though not spelled out in the schedule: where each animal is housed, the price and date of sale with a reference to the purchaser, and what information was given to the buyer. A register that shows an animal’s whole journey from arrival to sale answers most inspection questions on its own.
2. Daily check records
Schedule 2, paragraph 9 requires all animals to be checked at least once a day, more often where they’re vulnerable, with any signs of pain, suffering, injury, ill health or distress recorded and veterinary advice sought and followed. Paragraph 6 requires food and water intake to be monitored and problems recorded. Paragraph 5 covers temperature, ventilation, light and cleanliness, and the statutory guidance expects readings to be checked against the needs of each species.
A daily check record normally covers, per enclosure or tank:
- date, time and who did the check
- animals present and whether all were seen
- environment readings you rely on (temperature, humidity, water parameters)
- food and water offered and taken
- cleaning done
- any concerns and what action was taken
See daily checks for reptiles, amphibians and small animals for what to look for by category.
3. Cleaning records
The general conditions require cleaning procedures and a clean, comfortable environment for the animals. Inspectors expect to see both the procedure (what gets cleaned, how, how often, with what) and evidence it happened: a cleaning schedule signed off per enclosure. Deep cleans, disinfection between occupants and filter maintenance in aquatics are worth recording separately from the daily tidy.
4. Health, isolation and veterinary records
Beyond the treatment column in the register, keep:
- the name and contact details of the vet you’re registered with
- a record of each animal placed in isolation, why, and when it was released or what happened to it
- medicines held, where they’re stored and how they’re used
- deaths and what was done (and, where relevant, the cause)
- escapes and how they were resolved
5. Written procedures and policies
Several conditions require written documents. The core set is: a staff training policy; procedures for feeding, cleaning, transport, disease control, health monitoring, death or escape, and the care of animals if the licence is suspended or revoked; and an emergency plan. We go through each in written procedures and policies for pet shops. Keep the current version, the date it was last reviewed and who approved it, and keep old versions so you can show what applied when.
6. Staff training records
The licence holder, any manager and everyone caring for animals must be able to recognise normal behaviour and signs of pain or illness, and staff must be trained to advise buyers about the animals you sell. Keep a training record per person showing what was covered, when, and by whom, plus certificates for any formal courses. A matrix of staff against topics makes gaps obvious.
7. Buyer information and advice
Schedule 3 requires you to give buyers information on feeding, housing, handling, husbandry, life expectancy, accessories and veterinary care, and to tell them the animal’s species, country of origin and, where known, its age, sex and veterinary record. Keep copies of the care sheets you hand out and display, and record that advice was given at the point of sale. Many shops do this with a tick box and signature on the sales record.
8. Licence, inspection and emergency paperwork
- A copy of the licence, displayed at the premises
- Previous inspection reports and anything you did in response
- The written emergency plan, the emergency contact list and the key holder details
- Any notices or correspondence from the local authority
Putting it together
| Record | Required by | Keep for |
|---|---|---|
| Animal register | Schedule 3, para 2 | 3 years |
| Daily checks and monitoring | Schedule 2, paras 5, 6, 9 | 3 years |
| Cleaning schedules | Schedule 2, para 5 | 3 years |
| Isolation, treatment, deaths, escapes | Schedule 2, para 9 | 3 years |
| Written procedures and emergency plan | Schedule 2, paras 4, 9, 10 | Current version plus history |
| Staff training policy and records | Schedule 2, para 4; Schedule 3, para 3 | 3 years |
| Care sheets and buyer advice | Schedule 3, para 3 | 3 years |
Paper works. It just needs discipline: a sheet for every enclosure every day, filed by month, for three years, across every site. PetCompli records each check on a phone in seconds, keeps the register and policies in the same place, and shows at a glance what’s been missed.
Frequently asked questions
Can pet shop records be kept electronically?
Yes. Schedule 2 says records must be available for inspection in a readable form, and that includes electronic records as long as they can be produced in a readable form.
What must the animal register contain?
For every animal, or group of fish, on the premises: the supplier's full name, the animal's sex and age, any veterinary treatment, the date it was born or acquired, the date it was sold, and the date it died if applicable.
How long do pet shop records have to be kept?
At least three years from the date each record was created.
Do I need to record every daily check?
The regulations require all animals to be checked at least daily and any signs of problems to be recorded and acted on. A simple daily check record per enclosure is the usual way to prove this at inspection.
Sources
This guide explains the law and statutory guidance in plain English for licensed pet businesses. It isn't legal advice: check the current legislation and your own licence conditions, and ask your local authority's licensing team if you're unsure. Last reviewed 14 October 2026.