What a dog boarding or daycare website must show

Key takeaways

Dog boarding, home boarding and daycare businesses in England need a licence from their local council, which also gives a star rating. Show your licence number, the issuing council and your star rating, plus vaccination requirements, prices, the daily routine, how many dogs you care for, insurance, and how to book a trial visit.

• Boarding and daycare need a council licence in England.
• Show licence number, issuing council and star rating.
• State vaccination and health requirements clearly.
• Show prices, daily routine and how many dogs you care for.

What must a dog boarding website show?

A dog boarding or daycare website should show your licence, issuing council and star rating, vaccination requirements, prices, the daily routine, numbers of dogs cared for, insurance and how to book. Global Bridge Labs (GBL) treats the licence and rating as the regulated item on top of the 30-item inventory.

• What information should every business website have?
• Show your regulator and registration number online

What does licensing require?

In England, providing boarding for dogs, including kennels, home boarding and day care, is a licensable activity under the animal activities licensing regulations. Local councils issue licences and award star ratings. Show the licence number, council and rating, and update them at renewal.

• Qualifications on your website: which ones to list

What do owners want to know?

Owners want to know how many dogs you care for at once, where dogs sleep and exercise, how they are grouped, what happens in an emergency, what you need from them, such as vaccination records and food, and how they get updates during a stay.

• A 'what to expect' page that calms buyer nerves
• What first-time buyers of your service need to read

How should prices and terms be shown?

Show daily or nightly prices, peak season rates, discounts for multiple dogs, deposits and cancellation terms. Peak holidays book up early, so state booking lead times. Clear terms prevent disputes over cancellations during busy periods.

• Deposits and payment terms: say them on your website
• Holiday and seasonal opening hours on your website

What about insurance and health?

State your insurance cover, vaccination and flea and worming requirements, how you handle medication, and which vet you use. Explain what happens if a dog becomes ill. These details reassure owners leaving a family pet.

• Should you show your insurance cover on your website?

When is less better?

Lots of photos are welcome, but long lists of rules can feel hostile. Group requirements into a short 'before your first stay' section and keep the tone warm. Owners want reassurance as much as rules.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a home boarder's website is a gallery of happy dogs with no licence details or prices. Adding the licence number, star rating, a daily routine and a price list answers the questions careful owners ask first.

• See client work
• Website Design & Development for UK businesses

Dog boarding website checklist

• Show licence, council and star rating.
• State vaccination requirements.
• Publish prices and peak rates.
• Describe the daily routine.
• State how many dogs you care for.
• Explain insurance and emergencies.

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Next step

Add your licence number, issuing council and star rating to your homepage, and link to a page describing a typical day.