No we are doing talking about sports, we are talking about dog boarding license differences!

Did you know that if someone offers dog boarding in their home either just for the day or to stay overnight they need a license from their district council to do so? 

The licenses require inspection by the council animal welfare officer or a local vet to ensure that disease precautions are in place, animal welfare is not compromised, and animals are safe and well cared for. 

As Animal Health is a devolved policy to Wales, home boarding licensing works differently in England as it does Wales. As a company that operates in both countries, Friends for Pets has different home boarding set ups in both countries to ensure that we operate a fully legal and compliant boarding operation in all places that we offer dog home boarding. Below is an explanation of the main differences:-

Welsh Home Boarding

EVERY pet carer who offers dog boarding in their home holds their own dog boarding license. This means that EVERY dog boarder undergoes an inspection with the local animal welfare council officer. All records are still kept by the area manager and bookings managed centrally. All boarders are currently inspected under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963 http://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukpga/1963/43 . We currently have three dog boarders in three different districts in Wales ONLY operating from their own premises:-

English Home Boarding

Every local authority in which we offer dog boarding in holds their own Animal Activities license enabling us to offer home boarding. We provide the council with a list of hosts which the council can then inspect at anytime. Most councils inspect every single one of our hosts, some spot check different ones occasionally and some only inspect our hosts who hold their own licenses as they will offer multiple dog boarding and on a more frequent basis. All records are still kept by the area manager and bookings managed centrally. All of our boarding arrangements are licensed under The Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals)(England) Regulations 2018 https://www.legislation.gov.uk/ukdsi/2018/9780111165485 . 

The same across both Wales and England

  • All of our dog boarders are Pet first aid training. 
  • All of our dog boarders have access to our in-house pet carer training and CPD written by a qualified animal scientist and veterinary lecturer.
  • All of our dog boarders have access to our in-house pet first aid instructors for any queries with dogs in their care.
  • All of our dog boarders are DBS checked.
  • All of our dog boarders are fully insured.
  • Many of our dog boarders have lots of other dog related qualifications. 
  • All of our dog boarders are devoted to the dogs in their care and treat them as one of the family.
  • All of our dog boarders homes and gardens meet the rigorous standards of Friends for Pets (much more than what any council we operate in currently requires!!).
  • With our set ups in both countries it allows us to offer solo or very small numbers of dogs living as part of the family within our pet carers homes ensuring that it is more similar to their living arrangements at home where they are not in huge packs or kennels meaning a higher welfare for the dogs in our care.
  • All of our dog boarding homes are non-smoking.