Dog Boarding in London

Dog boarding in London ranges from kennels and day care centres to home boarders who look after a few dogs in their own house. Visit before you book: a good business will happily show you where dogs sleep, play and eat, and how it keeps them warm in a cold snap and cool in a heat wave.

Licences and star ratings

In England, providing boarding in kennels, home boarding or day care for other people's dogs in the course of a business needs a licence, and this covers home boarders as well as kennels (Schedule 1 of the regulations). In London the licence is issued by the borough council, or by the City of London for the Square Mile (regulations). Anyone who carries on a licensable activity without a licence commits an offence. The council gives each business a star rating from 1 to 5 after inspection, and local authorities should keep a list of licensed businesses and their ratings on their websites. Each borough keeps its own, so check the borough where the business is based; Redbridge, for example, publishes an animal licence register. Ask the business to show you its licence and star rating.

What a licensed kennel must check

Under the government's kennel guidance, a boarding kennel must see an up-to-date vet vaccination record showing current vaccinations against parvovirus, distemper, infectious canine hepatitis and leptospirosis, and may also require kennel cough vaccination. A vet's titre test certificate can be accepted instead of a booster. Primary vaccination courses must be finished at least 2 weeks before a dog is accepted into boarding. Also bring proof of microchipping: all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by 8 weeks old.

Hot weather and Alabama rot

On hot days the RSPCA advises that you never leave dogs in cars or other vehicles, and walk them early in the morning or late in the evening; ask a boarder how it keeps dogs cool and how it handles walks in a heatwave. Alabama rot (CRGV) is rare, but the Royal Veterinary College reports 318 confirmed UK cases between November 2012 and February 2024, mostly between November and May, usually with skin ulcers on the paws, legs or face. Tell the boarder, and your vet, about any unexpected sore.

What to ask

• Which borough council licenses the business, and what is its star rating?
• 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?
• Which vet do they use in an emergency?
• Can you bring your dog's own food, bedding or medication?

Busy dates

Boarders fill up for the summer holidays, Christmas and New Year, and bank holiday weekends, so book early, and bring your dog's vaccination records and microchip number.

About these listings

Many listings here were added from public business data and have not been claimed by the business yet. In the UK we only list registered companies. Check opening 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.