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{{org_field_name}}

Registration Number: {{org_field_registration_no}}

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Pets Policy

1. Purpose

The purpose of this policy is to set out the arrangements within {{org_field_name}} for individuals who wish to keep a pet, receive visits from animals or use an assistance dog. The policy is intended to support individuals’ rights, wishes, preferences, independence and personal outcomes while ensuring that risks to individuals, staff, visitors and animals are identified, assessed and managed appropriately.

{{org_field_name}} recognises that contact with animals may contribute positively to an individual’s emotional, social and physical well-being. Decisions about pets and animal visits will therefore be made on an individual basis and will not be subject to blanket restrictions unless a restriction is necessary and proportionate to manage an identified risk or meet a legal requirement.

This policy must be implemented in accordance with:

• the Regulation and Inspection of Social Care (Wales) Act 2016;
• the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended;
• the statutory guidance for service providers and responsible individuals on meeting the service standard regulations for care home services;
• the Social Services and Well-being (Wales) Act 2014, where relevant to the individual’s care and support;
• the Equality Act 2010, including the duty to make reasonable adjustments for disabled people;
• the Animal Welfare Act 2006;
• the Health and Safety at Work etc. Act 1974;
• the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 where exposure to hazardous substances or biological agents is relevant;
• applicable food safety and food hygiene legislation; and
• current national infection prevention and control guidance applicable to social care services in Wales.

In accordance with Regulations 14, 15, 18, 21 and 57 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, decisions concerning an individual’s pet must take account of the individual’s views, wishes and feelings, their assessed care and support needs, their personal outcomes, risks to their well-being and any risks to the well-being of other individuals.

Where keeping or having contact with a pet forms part of an individual’s wishes, daily routine, personal outcomes, care and support needs or risk-management arrangements, this must be reflected appropriately in the individual’s provider assessment, personal plan and associated risk assessments.

The service will ensure that arrangements concerning animals:

• promote the individual’s choice, independence, dignity and well-being;
• identify and reduce health and safety risks so far as is reasonably practicable;
• maintain satisfactory standards of hygiene and infection prevention and control;
• take account of allergies, phobias, sensory needs, cognitive impairment and other relevant needs of individuals living at the service;
• protect the welfare of animals; and
• comply with the service’s Statement of Purpose and other relevant policies and procedures.

The service’s Written Guide must provide information about its arrangements for accommodating personal preferences, including arrangements relating to pets, in accordance with the statutory guidance applicable to accommodation-based services.

2. Scope

This policy applies to:

• All service users who wish to have a pet or receive pet visits.
• All employees, ensuring adherence to health and safety regulations.
• Visitors and external professionals, including those bringing therapy animals.
• Management and administrative staff, responsible for risk assessments and policy enforcement.

This policy covers:

• Keeping pets in service users’ rooms.
• Pet visits and therapy animal programmes.
• Health, hygiene, and infection control.
• Risk assessments and staff responsibilities.
• Emergency procedures involving pets.

3. Benefits of Pets in the Care Home

Studies show that pets provide significant benefits for care home residents, including:

• Emotional support and companionship, reducing loneliness and anxiety.
• Cognitive stimulation, particularly for individuals with dementia.
• Encouragement for mobility and engagement, through pet-related activities.
• Reduction in stress and improved mood, promoting overall well-being.

At {{org_field_name}}, we encourage responsible pet ownership and structured pet visits to enhance the quality of life of our service users.

4. Service Users Keeping Pets in Their Rooms

4.1 Assessment and Approval for Keeping a Pet

An individual may keep a pet at the service where {{org_field_name}} has assessed that the arrangement can be safely and appropriately supported, taking account of the individual’s wishes, care and support needs, personal outcomes, rights and the well-being of other individuals living at the service.

A request to keep a pet must be considered on an individual basis. The Registered Manager, or a competent person authorised by the Registered Manager, must complete and record an assessment before the arrangement begins. The assessment must involve the individual and, where applicable and appropriate, their representative and other relevant persons.

The assessment must consider, as applicable:

• the individual’s views, wishes and feelings;
• the importance of the animal to the individual’s well-being, independence, routine and personal outcomes;
• the individual’s ability to care for the animal and any support that may reasonably be provided by family members, representatives, staff or another agreed person;
• the animal’s species, size, temperament, behaviour and needs;
• the accommodation and space available;
• arrangements for exercise, feeding, grooming, veterinary care and the disposal of animal waste;
• infection prevention and control risks, including the risk of zoonotic infection;
• allergies, respiratory conditions, compromised immunity or other health risks affecting the individual or other people at the service;
• the risk of bites, scratches, falls, trips or other injury;
• the effect of the animal on other individuals, including any phobias, distress, sensory needs or behavioural responses;
• food hygiene and environmental health requirements;
• emergency arrangements and arrangements if the individual temporarily or permanently becomes unable to care for the animal;
• the welfare needs of the animal; and
• any reasonable adjustments required under the Equality Act 2010.

Where the pet forms part of the individual’s daily life, personal outcomes or care and support arrangements, the agreed arrangements and relevant risk-control measures must be recorded in the individual’s personal plan and associated risk assessment.

Permission must not be refused solely because an individual requires assistance to care for their pet. Any refusal or restriction must be based on the individual assessment and must be necessary and proportionate to the identified risk or other applicable legal requirement. The reason for the decision must be recorded.

4.2 Types of Animals and Assistance Dogs

There is no automatic entitlement to keep every type of animal within the care home. The suitability of an animal must be determined through the individual assessment described in section 4.1, taking account of the service environment, the needs and rights of other individuals, health and safety, infection prevention and control, animal welfare and any applicable legal restrictions.

Animals that cannot safely or lawfully be accommodated must not be kept at the service. This includes an animal where:

• its keeping would be unlawful;
• its accommodation or care would be inconsistent with the requirements of the Animal Welfare Act 2006;
• the service cannot provide a suitable environment for the animal;
• an identified health, safety or infection risk cannot be reduced to an acceptable level through reasonable measures; or
• its presence would create an unacceptable risk to the well-being of other individuals which cannot be appropriately managed.

Any restriction must be based on the circumstances of the particular animal and individual rather than solely on a general assumption about the species or breed.

Assistance dogs

An assistance dog used by a disabled person must not be treated as an ordinary pet for the purposes of this policy. {{org_field_name}} will comply with its duties under the Equality Act 2010 and will make reasonable adjustments where required to avoid placing a disabled person at a substantial disadvantage.

The presence and needs of an assistance dog will be considered individually alongside the needs, rights and safety of other people using the service. Any proposed restriction affecting an assistance dog must be considered under the Equality Act 2010 before a decision is made and must not be imposed merely because the service otherwise restricts pets or dogs.

4.3 Responsibilities and Care Arrangements

The individual will be supported, so far as reasonably practicable and in accordance with their assessed needs and personal plan, to maintain responsibility and independence in caring for their pet.

Before a pet is approved, there must be a clear agreement identifying who is responsible for:

• providing suitable food and water;
• routine exercise and stimulation appropriate to the animal;
• grooming and general care;
• cleaning the animal’s accommodation and equipment;
• the safe and hygienic disposal of animal waste;
• routine veterinary care and treatment when the animal is ill or injured;
• vaccinations, parasite treatment and other preventative healthcare where appropriate to the animal and veterinary advice;
• meeting the costs associated with the animal, unless another arrangement has been expressly agreed; and
• caring for or temporarily removing the animal if the individual is admitted to hospital, becomes temporarily unable to care for the animal or an emergency affects the service.

Where staff are expected to provide any support with the care of an animal, the nature and limits of that support must be clearly agreed, risk assessed and recorded in the individual’s personal plan. Staff must not undertake animal-care tasks for which they have not received appropriate information, instruction or training.

The individual, their representative or other person responsible for the animal must inform the service promptly of any significant change in the animal’s health or behaviour.

If there is reason to believe that an animal’s welfare needs are not being met, the Registered Manager must take appropriate action. This may include discussing additional support with the individual or representative, obtaining veterinary advice or arranging alternative temporary or permanent care for the animal.

Removal or rehoming of a pet must not take place solely because the individual’s ability to care for the animal has changed. Reasonable support arrangements and the individual’s views must first be considered, except where immediate action is necessary to protect the individual, another person or the animal.

5. Pet Visits from Family and Therapy Animals

5.1 Visits from Family Pets

• Family members may bring pets to visit residents if:
  • The pet is vaccinated and in good health.
  • The pet is well-behaved and does not pose a safety risk.
  • The visit is pre-arranged with staff to ensure minimal disruption.
• Pets must be kept on a lead or in a carrier and supervised at all times.
• Visits should take place in designated areas unless the service user is bed-bound, in which case special arrangements can be made.

5.2 Therapy Animal Programmes

Therapy animals can play a significant role in resident well-being. {{org_field_name}} may arrange visits from:

• Registered therapy dogs through accredited organisations.
• Petting zoo visits, where feasible, for engagement activities.
• Animal-assisted therapy sessions for residents with dementia or emotional distress.

All therapy animals must:

• Have certification from a recognised animal therapy organisation.
• Be fully vaccinated and insured.
• Be assessed for temperament and behaviour before visits.

6. Health, Hygiene and Infection Prevention and Control

6.1 Infection Prevention and Hygiene Requirements

All arrangements involving pets, visiting animals and therapy animals must operate in accordance with {{org_field_name}}’s Infection Prevention and Control Policy and the requirements of Regulation 56 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

Animal-related infection risks must be assessed and managed in a manner proportionate to the risk presented by the individual, animal, activity and environment.

The following requirements apply where relevant:

• hands must be washed or otherwise decontaminated appropriately after handling animals, animal food, bedding, cages, litter trays, faeces, urine or other animal waste;
• animal faeces, urine, vomit and other waste must be removed promptly and disposed of safely and hygienically;
• appropriate personal protective equipment must be made available and used where the risk assessment or Infection Prevention and Control Policy requires it;
• animal beds, cages, tanks, bowls, litter trays and other equipment must be cleaned at an appropriate frequency using a safe method;
• areas contaminated by animal waste or bodily fluids must be cleaned and decontaminated promptly in accordance with the service’s infection prevention and control arrangements;
• animals must not be permitted to contaminate food, medicines, sterile supplies, clinical equipment or areas in which food is prepared or stored;
• animal food must be stored and handled so that it does not contaminate food intended for human consumption;
• individuals who require additional infection-control precautions because of their health must have this considered within their individual assessment;
• appropriate action must be taken where an animal has diarrhoea, vomiting, a skin condition, unexplained illness or another condition that may create an infection risk; and
• advice must be obtained from an appropriate healthcare, infection prevention and control, environmental health or veterinary professional where the service is unable to determine how an identified risk should be safely managed.

Routine cleaning arrangements must include areas used by resident pets where necessary. Cleaning following an animal visit must be proportionate to the identified contamination and infection risk rather than automatically requiring unnecessary environmental disinfection.

6.2 Staff Responsibilities

Staff must:

• follow the individual’s personal plan and relevant animal risk assessment;
• follow the service’s Infection Prevention and Control Policy and hand-hygiene requirements;
• use personal protective equipment where required;
• report bites, scratches, animal-related injuries, suspected infections, contamination incidents and significant changes in an animal’s health or behaviour;
• monitor whether the arrangements described in the individual’s personal plan remain safe and effective; and
• report concerns promptly to the person in charge so that the risk assessment and personal plan can be reviewed where necessary.

Any incident which may constitute a serious accident, serious injury, outbreak of infectious disease or another notifiable event must be escalated immediately to the Registered Manager so that the statutory notification requirements can be considered.

7. Risk Assessment and Review

Before an individual keeps a pet at the service, and before any recurring animal arrangement is introduced where there is a foreseeable risk to individuals, a suitable assessment must be completed by a person with the appropriate knowledge, skills and competence.

The assessment must identify the hazards presented by the particular arrangement, the people who may be affected and the measures necessary to reduce identified risks so far as is reasonably practicable.

The assessment must consider, where applicable:

• the individual’s wishes, needs, abilities and personal outcomes;
• allergies and respiratory conditions;
• immunosuppression or other susceptibility to infection;
• zoonotic infection;
• bites, scratches and other animal-related injuries;
• falls, trips and obstruction of mobility routes;
• the animal’s behaviour, temperament, size and species;
• interaction with individuals who have cognitive impairment, sensory needs, phobias or behaviours that may affect safe interaction;
• interaction with other animals;
• animal waste and environmental contamination;
• food hygiene;
• accommodation, exercise and outdoor arrangements;
• emergency evacuation;
• veterinary care;
• arrangements if the individual is temporarily or permanently unable to care for the animal; and
• the animal’s welfare.

Where keeping or interacting with the animal forms part of the individual’s care and support arrangements, the relevant risks and control measures must be reflected in the individual’s personal plan.

The risk assessment must be reviewed whenever:

• there is a significant change in the individual’s needs, health, abilities or circumstances;
• the animal’s health, behaviour or circumstances change;
• there is a bite, scratch, fall, infection, near miss or other animal-related incident;
• concerns are raised by an individual, representative, member of staff or professional;
• the existing control measures appear ineffective; or
• relevant legislation or guidance changes.

Where the arrangements form part of the individual’s personal plan, they must also be considered as part of the statutory personal-plan review process, which must take place as and when required and at least every three months.

Any change identified through the review must be reflected promptly in the relevant risk assessment and personal plan.

8. Emergency Procedures and Animal-Related Incidents

Any emergency or incident involving an animal must be managed first to protect the immediate safety and well-being of individuals, staff, visitors and the animal.

Where an animal is seriously ill or injured, the person responsible for the animal must be contacted and appropriate veterinary assistance obtained without unnecessary delay.

Where an animal displays aggressive, unpredictable or otherwise dangerous behaviour:

• individuals must be moved away from immediate danger where it is safe to do so;
• staff must not place themselves or another person at unnecessary risk;
• the animal must be appropriately secured or removed from the immediate area where this can be achieved safely;
• appropriate medical assistance must be obtained for anyone who has been injured;
• the Registered Manager or person in charge must be informed without delay;
• an incident record must be completed;
• the animal risk assessment and, where applicable, the individual’s personal plan must be reviewed before the animal is permitted to return to the previous arrangement; and
• appropriate professional advice must be obtained where necessary.

Where a person experiences an allergic reaction, suspected zoonotic infection or other animal-related health concern, appropriate healthcare advice or treatment must be obtained and the continued presence of the animal must be reviewed in light of the identified risk.

All animal-related accidents, injuries, infections, bites, scratches and significant near misses must be recorded in accordance with the service’s incident-recording arrangements.

The Registered Manager must determine whether an event is notifiable to Care Inspectorate Wales or another statutory authority. In accordance with Regulation 60 and Schedule 3 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended, this includes consideration of whether the event constitutes:

• a serious accident or injury to an individual;
• an outbreak of infectious disease;
• an incident reported to the police; or
• another event specified in Schedule 3.

Where a statutory notification is required, it must be made without delay, in writing and in the form or manner required by Care Inspectorate Wales.

9. Records and Documentation

{{org_field_name}} must maintain accurate and up-to-date records relating to pet and animal arrangements where those records are relevant to an individual’s care and support, the safe operation of the service or a statutory reporting requirement.

Records must include, where applicable:

• the individual’s request or expressed preference concerning a pet;
• the assessment and decision concerning whether and how the animal can be accommodated;
• the individual animal risk assessment and any reviews;
• relevant agreed arrangements within the individual’s personal plan;
• agreed responsibilities for feeding, exercise, cleaning, veterinary care and emergency care;
• reasonable adjustments considered or made in relation to an assistance dog;
• significant discussions with the individual, their representative or relevant professionals;
• animal-related incidents, injuries and near misses;
• suspected or confirmed animal-related infection concerns;
• actions taken following incidents or changes in risk;
• reviews and amendments to arrangements; and
• statutory notifications made to Care Inspectorate Wales or another authority where required.

Records relating to an individual must be accurate, current, stored securely and retained in accordance with the service’s Record Keeping Policy and the requirements of Regulation 59 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

10. Managing This Policy Efficiently

10.1 Employer Responsibilities

{{org_field_name}} will:

• Ensure clear guidelines for pet ownership and visits.
• Provide risk assessments and staff training on handling animals.
• Monitor the effectiveness of the policy and update as needed.

10.2 Employee and Service User Responsibilities

• Employees must follow infection control and safety procedures.
• Service users must adhere to pet care agreements.
• Visitors must comply with pet visit rules.

11. Related Policies

This policy must be read alongside the following policies and procedures, where applicable:

• Admissions and Commencement of Service Policy;
• Personal Planning and Review Policy;
• Risk Management and Assessment Policy;
• Health and Safety Policy;
• Infection Prevention and Control Policy;
• Accident, Incident and Near-Miss Reporting Policy;
• Equality, Diversity and Human Rights Policy;
• Reasonable Adjustments Policy or procedure, where maintained separately;
• Record Keeping and Records Management Policy;
• Safeguarding Adults from Abuse and Improper Treatment Policy;
• Emergency and Business Continuity Policy;
• Food Safety Policy; and
• Complaints Policy.

12. Policy Review

This policy will be reviewed at least annually and sooner where necessary.

An earlier review must take place where:

• relevant legislation, regulations, statutory guidance or national guidance changes;
• Care Inspectorate Wales issues relevant guidance or identifies a compliance concern;
• an animal-related incident, infection or significant near miss identifies a weakness in the policy;
• audit or quality-assurance activity identifies that the policy is not operating effectively; or
• changes to the Statement of Purpose or the operation of the service affect the arrangements described in this policy.

The Responsible Individual must ensure that suitable arrangements are in place to keep this policy up to date in accordance with Regulation 79 of the Regulated Services (Service Providers and Responsible Individuals) (Wales) Regulations 2017, as amended.

Where changes are made, relevant staff must be informed and provided with any additional instruction or training necessary to implement the revised requirements.

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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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