Dog Boarding in Charleston

Dog boarding in and around Charleston 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 cool through the Lowcountry summer.

Visiting is your best check

The visit is your inspection, and it is fair to ask a facility which local permits it holds. Look for clean, dry runs, fresh water, secure fencing, staff who know the dogs by name, and a clear plan for a dog that gets sick. Read the boarding contract too: under South Carolina law, a boarder may transfer an animal to a shelter ten days after the owner fails to pick it up as agreed, but only if the written contract provides for it, and boarders must post written notice of that rule at their place of business.

Vaccines and rabies

South Carolina law requires pets to be inoculated against rabies by a licensed veterinarian (S.C. Code 47-5-60). Most facilities ask for rabies, DHPP and Bordetella (kennel cough), and many ask for canine influenza, whose first course is two doses a few weeks apart. Ask which vaccines a facility requires well before your trip, and how it separates a dog that starts coughing. In September 2026 a rabid raccoon was confirmed in Charleston County and one dog was exposed to it (ABC News 4), a reminder to keep rabies shots current.

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 cool in a heat wave and warm in a cold snap?
• Which vet do they use in an emergency?
• Can you bring your dog's own food, bedding or medication?

Hurricane season and busy dates

Facilities fill up for summer, the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving and the winter holidays, so book early, and ask each one how it handles a storm. Charleston County advises owners to arrange a safe place to stay that permits pets and says its pet-friendly shelters ask you to bring shot records, food and a crate. Bring your dog's vaccination records and a current tag whenever you board.

About these listings

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