Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Cheltenham

Twenty-six dog boarders, day cares and kennels are listed for Cheltenham and the north Cotswolds. Twenty-three of them carry a current council licence found on a public register — Cheltenham Borough Council or Tewkesbury Borough Council — and three, all in the north Cotswolds villages under Cotswold District Council, could not be checked against any register at all. Whichever business you are calling, the same handful of questions apply before you hand your dog over.

Ask to see the licence itself

Home boarding, day care and boarding kennels are all licensed activities in England, so any business taking your dog for a night or a day should be able to show a current licence certificate on request, not just say the word "licensed." For the twenty-three Cheltenham and Bishops Cleeve-area businesses on a council register, the licence reference and star rating shown on their listing here came from that register directly. For the three north Cotswolds businesses — The Cotswold Pet Companion, Longhills Farm Boarding Kennels & Cattery and Passion Grooms — no address-bearing register exists for Cotswold District Council, so ask to see the certificate itself rather than take a website's word for it.

Vaccinations and kennel cough

Every boarder and day care sets its own vaccination policy, and requirements genuinely vary between businesses, so this is a question for the business rather than something fixed by law. Ask what vaccinations they require and how long before your dog's stay they need to see proof. Kennel cough is worth asking about specifically: policies on it differ from one business to the next, and it is not something this directory can advise on.

Breed policies and insurance

A business may ask about breed restrictions, including whether a dog is an exempted XL Bully with a valid certificate, and is entitled to set its own conditions. Where a business's own website states it holds insurance, that is the business's own claim rather than something checked here, so ask to see current evidence of cover if it matters to you.

Questions worth asking before you book

• Can I see your current council licence, and does it cover the number of dogs I'm booking for?
• What vaccinations do you require, and how long before the stay do you need to see proof?
• What is your policy on kennel cough?
• Do you have any breed restrictions or conditions, including for an exempted XL Bully?
• Do you hold insurance, and can you show evidence of current cover?
• How many other dogs will be there on my dates, and from how many households?
• What happens if my dog needs a vet while in your care?

See our Cheltenham choosing guide for how the three councils' registers differ, and our council licences guide for what each register actually shows.