Starting a rep shop

[Tomcat]

Helloo

If my dad was to set-up a reptile shop, what would he have to get?

pet shop license Anything else?

Also, how much, apart from the shop itself, would it cost roughly?

Ta

[Athravan]

Pet shop license is the only legal requirement to trade animals commercially. The PSL usually now requires the licensee or one main worker to hold the PCT Pet Store Mangement certification. The premises also has to be legal for retail and there may be health & safety restrictions depending on the zone and what areas it's next to. There are lots of extra costs to consider but technically not required for legal opening.

Anywhere from 5k to 50k - depends how big you're going and what you're kitting it out with.

Of course... to have a successful shop & stay in business... well that is a whole different ballgame.. but the above is all you technically need just to open it.

[Tomcat]

Thanks for the reply. Would a person over 18 have to be there full time? Or would someone under 18 be able to work there, with people over 18 on call?

[Athravan]

The person holding the PSL needs to be over 18 and have no criminal convictions. The pet shop can then employ someone under 18 (but over 16).. if the manager of the store or main storeworker is under 18 the council may want to know about it. When I applied I was specifically asked who the employees would be, what experience they had etc which was taken into consideration, but I believe there are no specific rules against it.

[Tomcat]

So, im 14 but i wouldnt be able to work there? Or would i but the owner must be there? Or could i with them on call? i dont get it lol

[Athravan]

I don't think that the council would allow a 14 year old to be the manager of a reptile shop to be honest.

I am not 100% sure on the law in reptile shops, but it is now illegal to sell an animal to someone under 16.

In a supermarket, if the checkout person is under 18 they must call a supervisor to sell alcohol, if they are under 16, they must call a supervisor to sell cigerettes - they cannot verify the age when they are not old enough to be verified themselves. I would imagine that the same goes for any age restricted rule - so you would have to have an over 18 supervisor available at the premises to verify ages.

Not 100% sure on that though, and you're also very limited in how many hours a week you can work at 14 I believe..... I expect your dad wouldn't want to leave you alone managing a whole shop that often anyway?

[Tomcat]

Well, he would be at work lol. SO it would be me. But it cant be that hard to hire someone though lol

[Athravan]

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Well, he would be at work lol. SO it would be me. But it cant be that hard to hire someone though lol

Won't you be at school? If your dad is not the main store person working at the shop, the PSL may require the main worker to hold the PCT qualification.

[Tomcat]

Yeah, i would be at school. But after school and weekends lol

What would happen if only dad had a license? And the main person didnt? even though dad would be the owner, and boss. My eldest brother the manager. but again, non of them could be there 24/7

[Athravan]

Originally Posted by Tomcat

Yeah, i would be at school. But after school and weekends lol

What would happen if only dad had a license? And the main person didnt? even though dad would be the owner, and boss. My eldest brother the manager. but again, non of them could be there 24/7

It's up to the council.. they have to feel that the main person working at the store is qualified to do so, hence the introduction of the qualification for most councils (not all, so you would have to speak to your specific council). If they feel that the owner is not actually at the shop dealing with the animals / customers, they can ask for the person who is actually running the shop on a day to day basis to have the right qualification. The license is still in your dads name, it just shows that there is an employee who is qualified to manage a petshop in their eyes (hence the name of the course "Pet Store Management").

Just remember that in the first year very few pet shops make any money and it often takes 3 years or more to pay off the startup cost / initial loans, and if they are paying wages, they can usually pay one persons wages at best - most pet shops don't make the sort of money to be paying the wages of multiple people in the first year at least.