Farmyard animals have been removed from a pub garden due to licensing issues.

Landlady of the Waggon at Hale in Chatham, Emma Pearson, has kept goats, pigs, rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs at the pub for years.

In 2018, a law came into place that requires businesses to hold a licence in order to “keep animals for exhibition for education or entertainment”.

However, Emma says she was unaware of the need for a licence and, after a meeting with Medway Council, she made the decision to sign over the bigger animals at the site.

She explained: “Saying goodbye to them was very, very difficult.

“Anytime somebody asks me about the animals, I still shake and get really, really upset.

“We had a meeting with the council, and it was just too much, especially for a small, independent business.

“It would just have been a lot of money, a lot of time, and a lot of effort to get the licensing.

“I would have to have a member of staff in the garden at all times, and I just can’t afford that. There were just a lot of factors.

“A lot of customers have been kicking off that they can't believe that they've gone.

“I never knew about the need for a licence, the RSPCA and the council have visited many times, and no one ever told me.”

She decided to keep the smaller animals, including rabbits, chickens, and guinea pigs as pets.

However, the goats and pigs were signed over to Medway Council on Thursday (June 12) and have now gone to an animal sanctuary.

In May, Emma had to defend herself after being accused of animal neglect after a post was made on Facebook claiming the pub was keeping its animals in unsuitable conditions.

The images show several farmyard animals in their enclosures in the pub garden, with the woman who took them saying they had “no enrichment”.

But Emma, who has run the pub for the past 14 years, said the allegations were wrong and that her animals were “very well-loved”.

She previously explained: “I think it's very much about the angle at which the photos were taken.

“These animals have had my time and attention. All of them are rescued, and they would have had to have been put down if we hadn’t taken them on.

“They have access to hay nets, and when we have gardeners come, they get branches to nibble on, and they nibble on the trees while out for walks.”

A Medway Council spokesperson said: “Council officers have worked alongside the owners of The Waggon at Hale in Chatham regarding animals previously kept at the pub.

“Following discussions on the animal licence application system, the operators decided not to press ahead with a licence application.

“A number of animals will now be rehomed while some will be kept as pets by the operators, who have been compliant with all stages of the proceedings.”