Dog Boarding in Cary

Dog boarding in and around Cary ranges from small kennels to pet resorts and day care centers with overnight stays. Visit before you book: a good facility will happily show you where dogs sleep, play and eat, and how it keeps them warm in winter and cool in summer.

State licenses and inspections

North Carolina requires a state boarding kennel license from the Animal Welfare Section, and the department says the requirement also applies to in-home boarding, including boarding found through online pet-service companies. The department inspects a new kennel before it opens, licenses are renewed every year, and it posts boarding kennel inspection reports on its Animal Welfare page. Ask a facility whether it is licensed, then read its latest report before you book.

Canine flu

In April 2023, the state agriculture department reported cases of canine flu (the H3N2 virus) in North Carolina, all in dogs that had been boarding or at day care within the past two weeks. In October 2023 the Wake County Animal Center closed to the public for an outbreak that included the deaths of two dogs, with veterinarians reporting that many dogs were picking up the respiratory illness after stays at boarding or day care facilities. Ask your vet whether the canine flu vaccine makes sense for your dog, and ask a facility how it separates a dog that starts coughing. The first canine flu course is two doses a few weeks apart, so plan ahead.

Rabies and tags

The Town of Cary says state law requires all cats and dogs 4 months and older to be vaccinated against rabies and to display their vaccination tags at all times. Cary's animal services run through the Cary Police Department, not Wake County Animal Control. Bring your dog's rabies certificate to any boarding stay.

Vaccines

Most facilities ask for rabies, DHPP and Bordetella (kennel cough), and many ask for canine influenza. Ask which vaccines a facility requires well before your trip.

What to ask

• Where do dogs sleep, and is someone on site overnight?
• Is play time in groups or one dog at a time, and how are groups matched?
• How do they keep dogs warm in winter and cool in summer?
• Which vet do they use in an emergency?
• Can you bring your dog's own food, bedding or medication?

Busy dates and summer heat

Facilities fill up for summer, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, so book early. Wake County Animal Services advises always having cool, fresh water available for pets and treats heatstroke in pets as an emergency.

About these listings

Many listings here were added from public business data and have not been claimed by the business yet. Check hours, prices and availability with the business directly. If you run one of these businesses, you can claim or correct your listing from its page.