HOW TO HIRE · PETS

How to hire a dog boarder in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Boarding a dog for money needs a licence. Here is how to read it, what to ask before the first night and what the booking should include.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring a dog boarder in five steps

  1. Ask for the licenceKennel boarding and home boarding are separate licensed activities in England. The licence names the activity, the number of dogs and the star rating.
  2. Visit before you bookSee where your dog will sleep and exercise. A good boarder welcomes a look round and a short trial stay.
  3. Share the full pictureVaccination record, diet, medication, behaviour with other dogs and your vet's details — in writing.
  4. Get the terms in writingNightly rate, peak dates, deposit, cancellation, what happens if your dog falls ill, and drop-off and collection times.
  5. Agree updates and an emergency planWhich vet they will use, how you will be contacted, and who decides if treatment is needed while you are away.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Animal activity licence

In England, boarding dogs in kennels or in a home as a business needs a licence from the council (Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018). Every licence carries a star rating from 1 to 5 based on inspection and the business's record, and the licence should be on display; the licence holder's name and number must also appear on the business's website.

Ask to see the licence, check it names kennel boarding or home boarding for dogs, note the star rating, and look for the business on the council's list of licensed premises. gov.uk →

Home boarding — the right licence and the right room

A home boarder in England needs a home boarding licence, not just a day-care one. The guidance requires a designated room for each dog or for dogs from one household, and the written consent of every owner before dogs from different homes stay together.

Ask which room your dog will sleep in and whether other people's dogs will be there that night. gov.uk →

Boarding licence in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

In Wales and Scotland, a business that provides accommodation for other people's dogs or cats — a private house included — needs a council licence under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. In Northern Ireland, DAERA licenses boarding kennels.

Ask for the council or DAERA licence and its conditions before you pay a deposit. legislation.gov.uk →

Animal welfare law, and insurance

A dog boarder takes on a legal duty, not just a job. Under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (England and Wales) a person in charge of an animal on a temporary basis is responsible for meeting its needs — diet, environment, protection from pain and disease — with equivalent duties in Scotland and Northern Ireland. No law makes a dog boarder carry insurance, but public liability and cover for animals in their care are normal for a business. Ask what the policy pays if your dog is hurt, falls ill or goes missing while with them.

Ask how they would spot illness in your dog and what they would do. Ask to see the current insurance certificate. legislation.gov.uk →

VAT

Boarding a dog is standard-rated: VAT at 20% is charged on each night, the collection run and extras such as medication. A business whose taxable turnover passes the £90,000 registration threshold must charge it and show it as a separate line on the invoice.

Ask for the VAT number of the licensed business, and for the nightly rate per dog with the 20% printed separately. gov.uk →

“Which licence do you hold for dog boarding, and what is your star rating?”

A good answer: The activity on the licence (kennel boarding or home boarding), the council that issued it and the stars. A good boarder explains what would earn them a higher rating.

“Where will my dog sleep, and with whom?”

A good answer: A specific kennel or room. For home boarding, other households' dogs only share with every owner's written consent.

“How much exercise will my dog get, and where?”

A good answer: Times and places — a secure garden, lead walks, a paddock — and whether dogs are walked alone or together.

“Which vaccinations do you need to see?”

A good answer: In England a licensed boarder must see an up-to-date vaccination record — parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis at least. A boarder who never asks is not checking anyone else's dog either.

“What happens if my dog is ill or injured while boarding?”

A good answer: Which vet they use, that they will call you first, and how treatment is authorised and paid for if they cannot reach you.

“Can you give medication and keep my dog's diet?”

A good answer: Yes, recorded each time. Licence conditions in England also expect food and water intake to be watched, with a vet consulted if a dog has not eaten for more than a day.

“Can we do a trial stay?”

A good answer: A short day visit or a single night is a sign of a boarder who cares how the dog settles.

“What is your cancellation and peak-date policy?”

A good answer: In writing, before the deposit. Christmas and summer holidays often carry minimum stays and higher rates.

Getting the quote right

  • Who actually attends the dogs overnight — the licence holder or kennel staff, and whether they are employed or subcontracted
  • The nightly rate per dog, with any discount for a second dog from the same household
  • Peak-date surcharges and minimum stays, named by date
  • What the price includes: food or your own, walks, medication, grooming, collection
  • The deposit, when the balance is due, and the cancellation terms
  • Drop-off and collection times, and any charge for an extra half day
  • The VAT number, and VAT on the boarding nights as its own line

Walk away if

  • No licence, or a day-care licence offered for an overnight stay
  • No vaccination record asked for at drop-off
  • No visit allowed before booking
  • No questions about vaccinations, diet or behaviour
  • Dogs from several households sharing a room with no consent asked for
  • Cash only, with no written booking terms
LOW
£21
TYPICAL
£29
HIGH
£62

What a dog boarder costs: £21–£62 per night

Dog boarding is priced by the night, per dog, with peak holiday dates, a second dog and extras such as medication or a collection run shown separately. Dog Boarding price guide →

Guide prices compiled by the Locufy team from published Irish and UK provider price lists and 2026/27 cost guides. Updated 2026.

KNOW WHAT TO LOOK FOR? NOW FIND ONE

Dog boarders near you, with the badges that matter shown

ID checked, trader status and one score from every review — on the card, before you message anyone. Nearest first. No account needed to look.

Or post the job free and let them come to you.

  1. Visit and trialYou see the kennel or room, meet the person caring for your dog, and book a short trial if your dog has not boarded before.
  2. PaperworkVaccination record, vet details, diet and medication sheet, emergency contact — signed and kept by the boarder.
  3. Drop-offYour dog's food, bedding and medication handed over and labelled; the boarder confirms the plan for the first evening.
  4. The stayFeeding, exercise and checks at set times, medication logged, and updates at the frequency you agreed.
  5. CollectionYou hear how the stay went, get back any medication and leftovers, and are told about anything you need to watch for.

Animal activity licence
The council licence for boarding, day care and other animal businesses in England.
Star rating
The 1 to 5 score on an English licence, based on inspection and the business's record.
Kennel boarding
Dogs kept in purpose-built kennels at the boarder's premises.
Home boarding
Dogs staying in the boarder's own home — a separate licence in England.
Peak dates
School holidays, Christmas and bank holidays, when rates and minimum stays rise.
Kennel cough
A contagious cough that spreads where dogs mix; ask what the boarder requires against it.

AFTER

When the job is done

Keep the booking and the notesThe confirmation, the invoice and any notes on how your dog ate, slept and behaved. They help you choose next time.
Check your dog overWeight, coat, paws and mood in the first day home. A cough, a limp or a stomach upset should be raised with the boarder straight away.
Ask about anything that happenedA good boarder tells you about a scuffle, a missed meal or a vet visit before you have to ask.
Review it honestlyYour review helps the next customer choose. Under four stars, Locufy offers the boarder the chance to put it right first — then the review is published.

STEP 1Tell the boarder, in writingDescribe what happened to your dog and what you want — a refund, the vet bill paid. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the boarder must provide the service with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this dog boarder opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the boarder hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3Tell the council, or the helplineA complaint about a licensed dog boarder can go to the council licensing team, which can inspect without notice and review the star rating in England. Unpaid refunds go through the consumer helpline to Trading Standards: Citizens Advice on 0808 223 1133 in England and Wales, Advice Direct Scotland on 0808 800 9060, and Consumerline on 0300 123 6262 in Northern Ireland.
STEP 4The court, as a last stepFor a dog boarder dispute that will not settle, the small claims route covers up to £10,000 in England and Wales, up to £5,000 in Scotland and up to £5,000 in Northern Ireland; the court fee depends on the amount claimed.

Hiring a dog boarder: questions people ask

Yes, if it is run as a business. In England the council licenses kennel boarding and home boarding under the 2018 Regulations; in Wales and Scotland the council licenses boarding under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, including in a private house; in Northern Ireland DAERA licenses boarding kennels.

In England, each licence carries 1 to 5 stars, set by the council from its inspection and the business's compliance record. The council also sets how long the licence runs — one to three years — on a risk-based view, and the stars can drop after an unannounced inspection into a complaint.

Neither is safer by default. Home boarding suits dogs that hate kennels; kennels suit dogs that do not mix. What matters is the licence, the room or kennel your dog will use and how many dogs are there at once.

£21–£62 per night, typically around £29. The dog boarding price guide explains what moves the figure; enter your postcode above for prices from dog boarders near you.

No. In England a day-care licence does not allow dogs to stay overnight; an overnight stay needs a kennel or home boarding licence.

Take your dog to your vet, keep the notes and tell the boarder in writing. A trader must provide the service with reasonable care and skill under the Consumer Rights Act 2015; for a licensed boarder in England, the council can also be told.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in pets

How to hire: Doggy Day CareHow to hire: Pet BoardingHow to hire: Dog WalkingHow to hire: House Sitting with PetsHow to hire: Pet SittingHow to hire: Cat BoardingHow to hire: Dog TrainingHow to hire: Pet TaxiAll 701 hiring guides →

Dog boarders near you

Dog boarders in LondonDog boarders in ManchesterDog boarders in BirminghamDog boarders in GlasgowDog boarders in BelfastAll dog boarders on Locufy →

Sources — checked October 2026

  1. Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, schedule 1
  2. gov.uk (Defra) — animal activity licensing process
  3. gov.uk (Defra) — home boarding for dogs licensing guidance
  4. gov.uk (Defra) — dog kennel boarding licensing guidance
  5. Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, section 5
  6. DAERA — animal welfare enforcement responsibilities
  7. Animal Welfare Act 2006, section 9 — duty to ensure welfare
  8. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  9. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  10. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  11. nidirect — small claims process
  12. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  13. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register