1. Scope & standards
These assessments cover supervised, educational animal encounters delivered by Pets on the Green Ltd on school and community premises. We meet the welfare needs of our animals under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (the five welfare needs), operate a “welfare-honest, animal-first” approach, and follow relevant guidance on animals in educational settings and infection prevention (hand hygiene after animal contact).
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Local authority licence (activities involving animals) | Animal Activities Licence (keeping/training animals for exhibition) No. 014153 — Tandridge District Council |
| Registered veterinary practice | Trinity Vets, 6 Hermitage Lane, Maidstone ME16 9NZ — Mark Rowland MRCVS, 01622 726730 |
| Animals used in sessions | [schedule of species/individuals — e.g. hedgehog, bearded dragon, galah] |
| Handler(s) | Ciera O’Rourke (Enhanced DBS with barred-list check, No. 001959488871 — DSL) and Alanah Banner (Enhanced DBS). Phoebe Kelly’s Enhanced DBS is in progress; until it is returned she is never left unsupervised with children. Thomas O’Rourke and Hannah Miller hold Basic DBS and are never left unsupervised with children. |
2. Session risk assessment (participants)
| Hazard | Who | Risk | Controls | Residual |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bites / scratches | Children, staff | Medium | Only suitable, habituated animals used; handler retains control; children shown safe handling; no unsupervised contact | Low |
| Zoonoses / infection | Children, staff | Medium | Hand-washing/sanitiser before & after contact; no eating during session; surfaces cleaned; animals health-checked | Low |
| Allergies | Children | Medium | School collects allergy info in advance; alternative no-contact role offered; hand hygiene | Low |
| Fear / distress / sensory overload | Children (esp. SEND) | Medium | Voluntary participation; calm, low-arousal approach; opt-out at any point; SEND-aware pacing | Low |
| Trips / crowding | All | Low | Defined seating; controlled group size; clear floor space agreed with venue | Low |
| Dropping / mishandling an animal | Children, animal | Medium | Handler holds animal; child contact limited to safe touch; suitable surfaces | Low |
3. Animal welfare assessment
| Welfare need | How it is met during visits |
|---|---|
| Suitable environment | Appropriate transport carrier, temperature and quiet retreat space at the venue |
| Suitable diet | Fed appropriately before/after; water available; sessions timed around needs |
| Normal behaviour | Only animals suited to public contact used; limited handling time; rest between groups |
| Housing with/apart from others | Species-appropriate; no incompatible animals mixed |
| Protection from pain/suffering/injury/disease | Health-checked, vet-registered; a stressed animal is withdrawn immediately; maximum session/handling limits observed |
4. Before every visit
- Confirm room, group size, timings and any allergies with the school.
- Agree the reporting route to the school DSL.
- On arrival, check the space for hazards and set up hand-hygiene stations.
- Brief the group on safe, kind handling and consent to opt out.
5. Emergency & first aid
Handler is trained in basic first aid confirmed; a first-aid kit is carried; any bite/scratch is cleaned and reported and the school’s first-aid lead informed. Incidents are logged and shared with the school. Animal illness/injury is referred to the registered vet.
6. Review
Assessed by Ciera O’Rourke, Director & Designated Safeguarding Lead on 13 July 2026. Reviewed annually, after any incident, or on introducing a new animal or venue type.