Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Bedford

Nine dog boarders, day cares and kennels are listed for Bedford, spread across three licensing authorities: Bedford Borough Council, Central Bedfordshire Council and Huntingdonshire District Council. All three licence home boarding, day care and boarding kennels in England under the same 2018 regulations, so every business here needs a current licence to operate, not merely to look reputable.

Vaccinations

Every boarder, kennels and day care here sets its own vaccination policy, so ask what it requires and how long before a stay it needs to see proof, rather than assuming one rule applies everywhere. Practice on kennel cough cover varies from business to business too; raise it directly when you call rather than assuming either way.

Licences

All nine businesses on this page were checked against a licence: five under Bedford Borough Council (Chihuahua Country Club & Small Dogs Boarding, Fetch Club, Howlies Doggy Daycare, RoLo Home From Home Dog Boarding and The K9 Klub), one under Central Bedfordshire Council (Woofstop) and three under Huntingdonshire District Council (Alconbury Hill Kennels & Cattery, Hayley's Active Paws & Stays and PetStay Cambridge, Huntingdon & Royston). Every one of these was read from a third-party mirror of the council's own decisions rather than the council's register directly, so no star rating is shown for any business on this page. See our council licences guide for why.

Breed policies and insurance

A boarder, kennels or day care is entitled to ask about a dog's breed and set its own conditions, including for an XL Bully, so ask directly rather than assuming either way. RoLo Home From Home Dog Boarding's own site states it holds public liability insurance; treat that as the business's own claim, since Roskosh has no way to check an insurance policy independently, and ask any business here to show evidence if it matters to your decision.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which council licensed you, and can I see the certificate or licence number?
• What vaccinations do you need before the stay, and how far in advance?
• Do you have a policy on kennel cough cover?
• Do you have any breed policies I should know about, including for an XL Bully?
• Do you say you hold public liability insurance, and can I see evidence of it?
• How many other dogs will be in the house or kennels block at the same time as mine?
• What happens if my dog needs a vet while in your care, and who decides that?

What a licence actually covers

Wherever it is confirmed, a licence covers premises or home standards, record-keeping and how many dogs a business may keep at once; it does not fix a price, promise a particular room, or guarantee a certain group size, so ask those separately even once the licence itself checks out.