Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Hinckley and Earl Shilton

Every one of the nine dog boarders, day cares and kennels listed for Hinckley and Earl Shilton needs a council licence to operate, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) Regulations 2018, the same rule as anywhere else in England. What's different here is that Hinckley and Bosworth Borough Council keeps no public register of who holds one, so this directory cannot confirm a licence number or a star rating for any of the nine, and neither can you without asking the business directly or contacting the council itself.

A stated licence is not a checked one

Several businesses here say on their own site that they hold a council licence; this directory records that claim but cannot verify it against anything public, so none of the nine carries a licence number or a star rating here. Wags Dog Care also operates as a Kennel Club-licensed breeder of spaniels and labradors alongside its boarding kennels — that is a separate registration with the Kennel Club, not a council animal-boarding licence, and the two should not be confused when you ask what a business is actually licensed for.

What to actually ask

Since nothing here is independently confirmed, asking to see the licence certificate itself, in person, matters more in Hinckley than in a town where a council register exists. Ask for the licence number, its expiry date and any star rating written on it, and treat what a business tells you as a starting point rather than a fact this directory has checked. Vaccination and parasite-treatment requirements also vary by business: at least one of the nine notes on its own site that vaccination, worming and flea-treatment requirements differ by establishment, which is a fair general rule to apply to all of them — ask each one directly rather than assuming the same policy applies everywhere.

Breed, age and health conditions

A few of these businesses set conditions of their own. Pampered Pets Inn, in the Hinckley & Burbage area, takes only one dog or cat at a time. Desford Dog Care, run by a former emergency foster carer for rescue dogs, also offers behaviour support alongside its boarding and day care. Ask any of the nine about group size, breed policies (including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate) and what happens if your dog needs a vet while in their care, since none of this is written down on every business's own site.

Questions worth asking before you book

• Can I see your current council licence certificate, its number and any star rating it shows?
• What vaccinations, worming and flea treatment do you require, and by when?
• What is your policy on kennel cough?
• Do you have any breed, age or size conditions I should know about?
• How many other dogs, and from how many households, will be there on my dates?
• Are you insured, and can you show evidence of current cover?

None of these are things this directory can answer on a business's behalf; put them to the business directly before you book.