HOW TO HIRE · PETS

How to hire doggy day care in the UK
The checks, the questions and the paperwork.

Dog day care is a licensed activity in England. Here is how to check it and what to ask about groups and rest.

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THE 60-SECOND VERSION

Hiring doggy day care in five steps

  1. Check the licenceDog day care licence, star rating and maximum number of dogs.
  2. Visit during the dayWatch the groups, the space and the staff.
  3. Ask for an assessmentA trial day to see how your dog copes.
  4. Bring the paperworkVaccination card, vet details, any medication.
  5. Agree the termsDaily rate, regular days, pickup, cancellation.

BEFORE YOU BOOK

Check before you book

Animal activity licence

In England, dog day care as a business needs a council licence (Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018), with a 1 to 5 star rating. The licence states the maximum number of dogs, and the guidance requires a fixed premises.

Ask to see the licence, the stars and the maximum number of dogs, and check the council's list. gov.uk →

Day care is not boarding

A dog day care licence does not allow dogs to stay overnight. A business that looks after dogs in its owner's own home is licensed under home boarding instead.

If your dog may stay late or overnight, ask which licence covers it. gov.uk →

Vaccinations and records (England)

Day care licence conditions require an up-to-date vaccination record for every dog, including resident dogs — parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis — and the licence holder's name and number on any website.

Bring the vaccination card to the first session. gov.uk →

Insurance

No law requires insurance for a doggy day care provider. The usual cover is public liability plus care, custody and control of the animals; ask whether vet bills for your dog are covered while it is with them.

Ask for the insurer's name and the policy dates.

VAT

Day care for a dog is standard-rated, with 20% VAT on each full or half day and on pickup and drop-off. 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, and whether the day rate, before any regular-day discount, includes the 20%. gov.uk →

“Does your doggy day care hold a council licence, and what are its stars?”

A good answer: The licence, the stars and the maximum dogs.

“How are dogs grouped at day care?”

A good answer: By size, age and play style, with quiet space for dogs that need it.

“How many staff per group?”

A good answer: A clear ratio and who is trained.

“Do dogs get rest time during day care?”

A good answer: Yes, planned rest — dogs over-tire in all-day play.

“What happens if dogs fight?”

A good answer: A clear plan and a call to you.

“Which vaccinations do you need to see?”

A good answer: An up-to-date record, checked at the start.

“Is pickup and drop-off included?”

A good answer: And whether dogs travel safely secured.

Getting the quote right

  • Who actually attends the dogs through the day — the licence holder or day care staff, employed or subcontracted
  • Daily or half-day rate
  • Regular-day discount
  • Pickup and drop-off charges
  • Cancellation and late-collection terms
  • The VAT number, with VAT on the day care as a separate line

Walk away if

  • No dog day care licence
  • Dogs kept overnight on a day care licence
  • No assessment before the first day
  • One big group with no rest area
  • No vaccination check
LOW
£20
TYPICAL
£25
HIGH
£50

What doggy day care costs: £20–£50 per day

Doggy day care is priced per day or half day, with discounts for regular days and extra for pickup and drop-off. Doggy Day Care 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

Doggy day care providers 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. AssessmentA trial session to check your dog's temperament.
  2. Drop-offHandover with any notes for the day.
  3. PlaySupervised group play by size and temperament.
  4. RestPlanned quiet time and water.
  5. CollectionA short report on the day.

Dog day care licence
The English council licence for daytime dog care as a business.
Star rating
The 1 to 5 score on the licence.
Assessment day
A trial to see how a dog copes in a group.
Rest period
Planned quiet time in the day.
Ratio
The number of dogs per member of staff.
Kennel cough
A contagious cough where dogs mix.

AFTER

When the job is done

Watch your dog that eveningTired is normal; limping, a cough or injuries are not.
Ask for a day reportHow your dog played, ate and rested.
Keep the invoicesFor regular bookings and any dispute.
Tell others how it wentA short, specific review is the most useful kind. If it went wrong, the make-it-right step comes first.

STEP 1Tell the provider, in writingSay what happened at day care and what you want. Under the Consumer Rights Act 2015 the service must be provided with reasonable care and skill.
STEP 2Make-it-right, then reviewA rating below four stars for this doggy day care opens the make-it-right step: you choose whether the provider hears about it first, we chase it, and the review follows.
STEP 3Tell the council, or the helplineA complaint about a licensed doggy day care 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 doggy day care 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 doggy day care: questions people ask

Yes, in England, when it is run as a business: a council dog day care licence under the 2018 Regulations, with a star rating. In Wales and Scotland, ask which council licence the business holds.

No. An overnight stay needs a kennel or home boarding licence in England.

In England the licence requires an up-to-date record — parvovirus, distemper, hepatitis and leptospirosis.

Expect £20–£50 per day, around £25 on average. Our doggy day care price guide has the detail, and your postcode above brings up doggy day care providers close to you.

No. Some dogs find groups stressful; an assessment day tells you.

See your vet and tell the provider in writing. The Consumer Rights Act 2015 requires reasonable care and skill; the licensing council can also be told.

MORE GUIDES

More hiring guides in pets

How to hire: Dog BoardingHow to hire: Dog WalkingHow to hire: Group Dog WalkingHow to hire: Pet SittingHow to hire: Dog TrainingHow to hire: Puppy VisitsHow to hire: Pet TaxiHow to hire: Dog GroomingAll 701 hiring guides →

Doggy day care providers near you

Doggy day care providers in LondonDoggy day care providers in ManchesterDoggy day care providers in BirminghamDoggy day care providers in GlasgowDoggy day care providers in BelfastAll doggy day care providers 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) — dog day care licensing guidance
  4. Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, section 5
  5. Consumer Rights Act 2015, section 49 — reasonable care and skill
  6. gov.uk — make a court claim for money: court fees
  7. mygov.scot — make a court claim for money
  8. nidirect — small claims process
  9. VAT rates — VAT rates for goods and services: standard rate 20% on most goods and services
  10. GOV.UK — Register for VAT: when to register