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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Pets Policy

1. Purpose

This policy outlines the approach of {{org_field_name}} to managing pets within the care home environment, ensuring that the presence of animals enhances the well-being of the people we support while maintaining hygiene, safety, and infection control standards.

The policy aims to:

• Promote the physical, emotional, and social well-being of individuals through pet companionship.
• Maintain a safe and hygienic environment for all residents, staff, and visitors.
• Set out the process for risk assessment and infection control related to pets.
• Ensure compliance with CQC requirements, particularly regarding safe care and treatment (Regulation 12)​, dignity and respect (Regulation 10)​, and person-centred care (Regulation 9).

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• Residents who wish to bring their own pets into the home.
• Pets visiting with family members or therapy animal providers.
• Care home pets kept in communal areas.
• Staff members who interact with pets during their duties.
• External organisations providing pet therapy services.

3. Related Policies

• CH07 – Person-Centred Care Policy
• CH08 – Dignity and Respect Policy
• CH11 – Safe Care and Treatment Policy
• CH13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy
• CH17 – Infection Prevention and Control Policy
• CH21 – Medication Management and Administration Policy
• CH35 – Duty of Candour Policy​

4. Policy Statement

At {{org_field_name}}, we recognise the benefits that pets can bring to the lives of the people we support, including companionship, reduced loneliness, and enhanced emotional well-being. However, it is our duty to balance these benefits with health and safety considerations, ensuring that all residents, staff, and visitors are protected.

5. Guidelines for Managing Pets in the Care Home

5.1. Resident-Owned Pets

Residents may be supported to keep their own pet within the home where this is consistent with their wishes, individual circumstances and the safe operation of the service.

Before a resident brings a pet into the home, and whenever relevant circumstances change, an individual risk assessment must be completed and recorded. The assessment must consider:

• The resident’s wishes, preferences and ability to participate in caring for the animal.
• The health, safety and welfare of the resident.
• Allergies, phobias, infection risks or other relevant health needs of the resident, other residents, staff and visitors.
• The species, size, temperament, behaviour and individual needs of the animal.
• Risks arising from bites, scratches, falls, trips, noise, uncontrolled behaviour or access to restricted areas.
• The arrangements for feeding, exercise, grooming, veterinary treatment, medication, cleaning and disposal of animal waste.
• The arrangements that will apply when the resident is temporarily unable to care for the animal, including during hospital admission.
• The arrangements that will apply if the resident permanently becomes unable to care for the animal.
• Any reasonable adjustments required because of a resident’s disability.

The pet must receive appropriate veterinary care and any preventative healthcare appropriate to its species and individual circumstances. Any vaccination, parasite treatment or veterinary requirements imposed by the service must be based on an assessment of risk and appropriate veterinary or infection prevention and control advice.

Clear responsibilities must be agreed for:

• Feeding and provision of water.
• Exercise and stimulation.
• Grooming.
• Cleaning the animal’s living and feeding areas.
• Disposal of animal waste.
• Veterinary appointments and treatment.
• Meeting veterinary costs.
• Arrangements during any period when the resident is unable to care for the animal.

Where staff are expected to provide any assistance with the care of the animal, this must be agreed in advance, documented in the resident’s care records and reflected in the relevant risk assessment. Staff must not undertake tasks for which they have not received appropriate information, instruction or support.

A written pet agreement must record the responsibilities of the resident, the service and, where appropriate, another person who has agreed to assist with the animal’s care.

A resident’s capacity to make a particular decision about their pet must not be questioned solely because of age, diagnosis or disability. Where there is reason to believe that the resident may lack capacity to make a specific decision, the principles and requirements of the Mental Capacity Act 2005 must be followed.

Where the resident lacks capacity to make a relevant decision, any decision made on their behalf must be made in accordance with the Mental Capacity Act 2005. This includes consideration of the resident’s past and present wishes, feelings, beliefs and values and consultation with appropriate persons. Any attorney or deputy with relevant legal authority must be involved where applicable. A relative or friend must not be treated as having decision-making authority solely because of their relationship with the resident.

If it becomes necessary to consider permanent alternative care, fostering or rehoming of the animal, this must be managed lawfully and sensitively. Where the resident has capacity, their informed decision must be respected subject to the service’s legal obligations towards the safety and welfare of others. Where the resident lacks capacity, the appropriate Mental Capacity Act decision-making process must be followed and clearly documented.

5.2. Visiting Pets and Therapy Animals

Ordinary pets brought into the home by relatives, friends or other visitors, and animals brought into the home as part of an organised animal-assisted or therapy activity, must be managed in a way that protects residents, staff, visitors and the animal.

Ordinary visiting pets and therapy animals must be approved in advance by the Registered Manager or an appropriately delegated member of staff.

Before approval is given, the service must consider any relevant risks, including:

• Allergies and phobias.
• Infection risks.
• The health and vulnerability of residents who may come into contact with the animal.
• The animal’s temperament and behaviour.
• The extent to which the animal will be under the control of its owner or handler.
• The areas of the home that the animal will access.
• Potential risks from bites, scratches, falls, trips or animal waste.

Animals must be clean, appropriately cared for and under the effective control of their owner or handler.

Where evidence of veterinary care, vaccination or parasite control is required, the requirement must be appropriate to the species and proportionate to the identified risk.

People who touch or handle an animal must be supported to perform appropriate hand hygiene afterwards and before eating, drinking, handling food, administering medicines or undertaking personal or clinical care.

Animals must not enter food preparation or food storage areas or other areas where their presence would present an unacceptable hygiene or safety risk.

Any animal-assisted activity provided by an external organisation must be subject to appropriate checks and risk assessment before the activity takes place.

Assistance dogs are not treated as ordinary visiting pets for the purposes of this subsection. Arrangements for assistance dogs must be managed in accordance with section 5.4 of this policy.

5.3. Care Home Pets (Communal Animals)

Where {{org_field_name}} keeps an animal for the benefit of residents, the service accepts responsibility for ensuring that the animal is cared for lawfully and appropriately.

Before a communal animal is introduced, the Registered Manager must ensure that a documented assessment has considered:

• The benefits to residents.
• Residents’ wishes and preferences.
• Allergies, phobias and cultural or other relevant considerations.
• Infection prevention and control risks.
• Risks of bites, scratches, falls, trips, noise or other injury.
• The suitability of the environment.
• The species, temperament, behaviour and welfare needs of the animal.
• The staffing and financial arrangements necessary to care for the animal throughout its life.
• Arrangements for veterinary care.
• Arrangements for emergencies and periods when usual carers are unavailable.

Any person who is responsible for an animal must comply with the Animal Welfare Act 2006 and take reasonable steps to ensure that the animal’s welfare needs are met.

This includes ensuring, as appropriate to the animal:

• A suitable environment.
• A suitable diet and continuous access to appropriate drinking water where required.
• The opportunity to exhibit normal behaviour.
• Appropriate companionship or separation from other animals according to the needs of the species.
• Protection from pain, suffering, injury and disease.
• Appropriate veterinary care when required.

A named person or persons must have clearly documented responsibility for the animal’s day-to-day care. The service must maintain a care schedule covering feeding, exercise, cleaning, grooming, veterinary treatment and any other welfare requirements appropriate to the animal.

The animal’s living areas, feeding equipment and associated equipment must be maintained in a clean and hygienic condition and must be located so that they do not compromise food safety, medicines safety, infection prevention and control or residents’ safe use of the premises.

Residents may choose whether or not to interact with a communal animal. No resident must be required or pressured to participate in an activity involving an animal.

Where a resident does not wish to have contact with an animal, or where contact would present an unacceptable health or safety risk, appropriate arrangements must be made to respect that person’s wishes and protect their safety.

The welfare of the animal must also be protected during interactions with residents and visitors. Interactions must be supervised where the risk assessment identifies this as necessary.

5.4. Assistance Dogs

Assistance dogs are working animals and must not automatically be treated in the same way as ordinary pets under this policy.

{{org_field_name}} will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010 and will make reasonable adjustments to enable a disabled resident, prospective resident or visitor to be accompanied by an assistance dog where required.

A person must not be refused access, disadvantaged or treated less favourably solely because they are accompanied by an assistance dog.

Where an assistance dog is present, an individual and proportionate assessment may be completed where necessary to address identifiable risks, including:

• A serious allergy affecting another person.
• A significant infection prevention and control risk.
• A specific safety risk associated with the environment or activity.
• A direct and significant risk to another resident which cannot reasonably be managed in another way.

Any restriction on an assistance dog must be based on an identified and evidenced risk and must not amount to a blanket prohibition. Before imposing a restriction, the service must consider whether the risk can be managed through a reasonable adjustment or an alternative arrangement.

Any decision to restrict access must be documented, including:

• The identified risk.
• The person affected.
• The reasonable adjustments considered.
• The reasons why any proposed adjustment would not adequately manage the risk.
• The alternative arrangements offered.

Assistance dogs must not normally be petted, fed, handled or distracted by staff, residents or visitors without the permission of the person they assist.

Normal infection prevention and control precautions, including appropriate hand hygiene following contact with the dog, must be maintained.

6. Infection Prevention and Hygiene Measures

Animal contact must be managed in accordance with the service’s infection prevention and control arrangements and the Health and Social Care Act 2008: Code of Practice on the prevention and control of infections and related guidance.

The service must assess infection risks associated with resident-owned pets, visiting animals, assistance dogs and communal animals and must put proportionate control measures in place.

The following minimum precautions must be applied where relevant:

• Hands must be washed or otherwise decontaminated appropriately after touching or handling an animal, its feeding equipment, bedding, toys, waste or living area.
• Hand hygiene must be completed before eating or drinking, preparing or handling food, administering medicines or undertaking personal or clinical care following contact with an animal.
• Residents who require assistance with hand hygiene must be appropriately supported.
• Animals must not be permitted to access food preparation or food storage areas.
• Animal feeding equipment must be identified for animal use and must not be used for residents, staff or visitors.
• Animal food must be stored safely and separately from food intended for human consumption where necessary to prevent contamination.
• Animal living areas, bedding, cages, tanks, feeding equipment and other associated items must be cleaned at an appropriate frequency and whenever contaminated.
• Faeces, urine, vomit and other animal waste must be removed promptly and disposed of safely and hygienically.
• Staff undertaking cleaning or waste-handling activities must use any personal protective equipment identified as necessary by the relevant risk assessment and must perform hand hygiene afterwards.
• Animals showing signs of infectious illness, unexplained diarrhoea, vomiting, skin disease or other illness that may present a risk to people must not participate in visiting or animal-assisted activities until the risk has been assessed and appropriate veterinary advice or treatment has been obtained where necessary.
• Bites and scratches must be responded to promptly, including appropriate first aid, assessment of the need for clinical advice or treatment, recording and subsequent review of the relevant risk assessment.
• Animals must not be allowed to lick wounds, broken skin, invasive devices, dressings, medical equipment, residents’ faces or items used for food, drink or medicines.

Where an individual may be particularly susceptible to infection, including because of illness, treatment or reduced immunity, an individual risk assessment must determine whether and how contact with an animal can safely take place.

The Infection Control Lead must be consulted where an animal-related infection risk is significant, unusual or cannot be adequately managed using routine precautions.

Where there is concern that an animal may be associated with transmission of infection, the service must obtain appropriate infection prevention and control, health protection or veterinary advice and take appropriate measures to prevent further exposure.

Animal-related infection risks and controls must be reviewed whenever circumstances change and following any relevant incident.

7. Staff Responsibilities

Registered Manager

• Ensures compliance with the CQC regulations related to health, safety, and infection control​.
• Conducts risk assessments for resident pets, visiting animals, and communal pets.
• Approves visiting pets and maintains necessary records.

Infection Control Lead

• Oversees infection control measures for pet interactions.
• Reviews vaccination records and pet hygiene compliance.

Care Staff

• Support residents in pet care, if required.
• Ensure compliance with hygiene procedures.

Kitchen & Housekeeping Teams

• Maintain pet-free zones in food preparation and medication storage areas.
• Ensure pet waste is disposed of hygienically.

8. Risk Management and Complaints

8.1. Risk Assessments

Each pet situation will be risk-assessed individually, considering:

• Potential allergies or phobias among residents or staff.
• Health conditions that could be impacted by pet interactions.
• Behavioural considerations, ensuring animals do not pose a risk.
• Legal considerations, including local authority regulations.

Risk assessments will be reviewed annually or if circumstances change.

8.2. Managing Incidents and Complaints

Any incident involving an animal, including a bite, scratch, fall, allergic reaction, infection concern, uncontrolled behaviour or other injury or near miss, must be responded to promptly.

Immediate action must prioritise the safety and welfare of the person affected. Appropriate first aid and medical assessment or treatment must be obtained where necessary.

The incident must:

• Be reported promptly to the Registered Manager or person in charge.
• Be recorded in accordance with the CH24 – Management of Accidents, Incidents, and Near Misses Policy.
• Include an accurate record of what happened, the people and animal involved, any injury or treatment, immediate action taken and any witnesses.
• Result in review of the relevant individual, environmental, infection prevention and animal risk assessments.
• Be investigated to an extent proportionate to the seriousness of the event.
• Result in appropriate action to reduce the likelihood of recurrence.

Where an animal has bitten or scratched a person, the affected person must be assessed for the need for medical advice or treatment. The health and behaviour of the animal must also be reviewed and veterinary advice obtained where appropriate.

The Registered Manager must determine whether the incident meets the threshold for any statutory external notification or report.

Where the criteria in the Care Quality Commission (Registration) Regulations 2009 are met, the required notification must be made to the Care Quality Commission without delay.

Where an incident is reportable under the Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013, the appropriate report must be made in accordance with the organisation’s health and safety arrangements.

Where an incident meets the statutory definition of a notifiable safety incident under Regulation 20 of the Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014, the Duty of Candour requirements must be followed in accordance with the CH35 – Duty of Candour Policy.

Where an incident gives rise to a safeguarding concern, the service must act in accordance with the CH13 – Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy and make any required referral or notification.

Where an incident is reported to, or investigated by, the police and the statutory CQC notification criteria are met, the required CQC notification must also be made.

Any complaint regarding animals or the application of this policy must be managed in accordance with the CH14 – Receiving and Acting on Complaints Policy.

The outcome of incidents, complaints and investigations must be used to identify learning and, where necessary, to amend care plans, pet agreements, risk assessments, environmental controls or this policy.

9. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed annually or earlier if legislative changes or business needs require updates. {{org_field_name}} remains committed to ensuring a safe, inclusive, and pet-friendly environment, where the well-being of all residents remains the priority.

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Responsible Person: {{org_field_registered_manager_first_name}} {{org_field_registered_manager_last_name}}
Reviewed on: {{last_update_date}}
Next Review Date: {{next_review_date}}
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