Animal boarding

An animal boarding licence is required if you provide accommodation for other people’s cats and dogs, where the provision of that accommodation is part or solely the activity of a business, in any of the following circumstances:

arranging for the provision of accommodation for other people’s cat and dogs, for example, businesses which connect pet owners with people willing to look after their animals, even if for no fee other than expenses
providing overnight accommodation for cats in purpose-built cattery units
providing home boarding of cats, where the cats are kept in purpose-built cattery units and not in the domestic home
providing daytime accommodation for dogs away from the dogs’ normal place of residence and not keeping them overnight
providing overnight accommodation for dogs in purpose-built kennels; and
providing overnight accommodation for dogs in a home environment which is not the usual home where the animals are kept, and not in external kennel accommodation (where external kennel accommodation is used, this would fall under the scope of providing boarding in kennels for dogs)

In the licence application you will be required to make a declaration that you have read and are familiar with the requirements of the relevant Guidance notes for conditions.

Guidance notes for conditions for providing boarding for cats (PDF, 427 KB)

Guidance notes for conditions for providing boarding in kennels for dogs (PDF, 284 KB)

Guidance notes for conditions for providing day care for dogs (PDF, 292 KB)

Guidance notes for conditions for providing home boarding for dogs (PDF, 280 KB)

Before a licence is granted your premises will be inspected to ensure that you can comply with the relevant conditions.

Animal boarding licence application form (PDF, 128 KB)