05/08/2026
Ok so not my area but let’s talk dog boarding…..
If your dog is staying in someone else’s home whilst you’re away it is classed as boarding. People who are dog boarders need to be licensed by the local council. They will have regular inspections and they will also receive a star rating! It is actually illegal to board dogs without a license. These checks are vital, the council tell the boarder how many dogs they can have at one time, record keeping is a must, dogs must be vaccinated etc the home must be kept clean, safe spaces for dogs, checks on how long they are left etc this is all documented.
Red flags 🚩
Not licensed - why not?
If not licensed are they actually insured?
Boarding is in high demand - this can lead to people doing this without a license to make extra money and goodness knows how many dogs they are having at one time!
Some of the pet sitting/boarding/walking apps DO NOT require them to be licensed and insured so please be aware of this!
As much as I would love to do boarding for my clients it’s not an option right now but hopefully in the future however I can very highly recommend a few people that I 100% trust!
Pet sitting is different to boarding! Pet sitting is when someone stays in YOUR home with your dog they do not need to be licensed but absolutely need insurance! I’m actually insured for pet sitting it’s something I may offer in future or emergency situations to my existing clients however it’s hard to be away from the kids for long periods.
If you want to book that holiday please please please look into who is going to look after your dog and make sure you ask all the correct questions! Don’t ever worry about asking pet professionals questions the more questions the better! Your dog should always have a trial night with a boarder to make sure they settle etc before you can actually book in!