Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Hull
Hull's 13 published dog day cares, boarding kennels and home boarders sit under two different councils: Hull City Council for the city itself (Hull city centre, west Hull, north Hull and Sutton) and East Riding of Yorkshire Council for the edge-of-city districts (Anlaby, Hessle, Willerby & Kirk Ella, Cottingham and Hedon). A phone call before you book answers more than any website, and the same handful of questions are worth asking wherever you call.
Vaccinations
Every dog boarder and day care sets its own vaccination policy, and it varies between them, so ask what vaccinations a business requires and how long before your dog's stay it needs to see proof. This is not something this site can tell you in advance, and it should never be treated as a fixed rule: a kennel cough vaccine, in particular, is handled differently from one business to the next.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough exists and spreads where dogs mix, whether in a kennel run, a home boarder's living room or a day-care group. Ask what the business's policy is rather than assuming an answer either way; none of Hull's businesses publish a prevention claim, and this site does not make one on their behalf.
The licence, and what it does and doesn't show
Two of Hull's 13 listings are confirmed against Hull City Council's own downloadable register: Noah's Ark Dog Day School (day care, 5-star) and Prestige Boarding Kennels (kennels, 3-star). East Riding of Yorkshire Council's own register could not be read for this research, so every East Riding-side business's licence number here is the business's own published figure, not something checked against a council list. Our council licences guide sets out exactly which of the 13 rest on a confirmed match and which do not. Either way, ask to see the current licence certificate itself when you visit, especially on the East Riding side where this site could not check the register directly.
Breed policies
A boarder or day care is entitled to ask about, or refuse, a particular breed, including an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate. None of the 13 businesses here state their breed policy in a way this site can pass on as fact, so ask directly, including whether an XL Bully needs to be muzzled and leashed on site as it must be in public.
Insurance
Do not assume a business is insured because it looks established or because a website mentions it in passing. Where a business's own material states it holds cover, treat that as the business's own claim rather than something this site has verified; where nothing is published, ask directly and ask to see evidence of current cover.
Questions worth asking before you book
- What vaccinations do you require, and how long before the stay do you need to see proof?
- What is your kennel cough policy?
- Do you have any breed restrictions or conditions, including for an XL Bully with an exemption certificate?
- Are you insured, and can you show evidence of current cover?
- How many other dogs, and from how many other households, will be there during my dates?
- Can I see your current licence certificate, including the number and expiry date?
- If you are a home boarder, when is the address given and how is a first meeting arranged?
None of these questions can be answered for you here; they are for the business on the phone. See our first-stay guide for what to expect once you have booked.