How Leeds City Council licenses dog boarders
All 25 dog boarders, day cares and kennels listed for Leeds fall under one authority, Leeds City Council. The council publishes its animal welfare licences as a CSV export on its own open-data portal, Data Mill North, rather than as a searchable public-facing page — a single flat file that lists a licence reference, a premises or trading name, a star rating and licence length, and an expiry date, but no address or phone number.
What the star rating means
Where a star rating appears on a listing here, it is Leeds City Council's own inspection score, on a scale of 1 to 5, tied to how often the business is reinspected. It is a licence fact, not a customer review, and it is shown separately from any review rating for exactly that reason — treat it the way you would a food hygiene rating rather than a Google star. Of the 20 Leeds listings that carry a current licence panel, 16 hold 5 stars, 3 hold 3 stars, and one, Yorkshire Canine Care, holds 4 stars.
The five without a licence panel
Five of the 25 businesses listed for Leeds do not show a council licence panel, for two different reasons. Cookridge Canine Care, Mrs B's Dogs and Petal Paws Pet Care are clearly trading, licensable businesses that could not be matched to a Data Mill North entry under this exact name during this research pass — ask them directly about their current licence before booking. Elmete Luxury Boarding and Day Care and Let's Go Mutts are on the register, but the expiry date recorded against them had already passed when it was checked in September 2026, with no renewal showing — ask to see a current certificate rather than relying on an older licence number.
A licence number worth double-checking
One listing here, Kelly's Paw Pals, shows a different licence number on her own site to the one recorded against her business on the council's register. The number shown on this listing is the one on the register; it's worth asking any business to confirm its current licence number and show the certificate itself before you book, rather than relying on a number quoted on a website that may be out of date.
Why this matters
Home boarding, day care and boarding kennels are all licensed activities, and Leeds City Council is the only body that can confirm a licence is current. A council licence panel here is read from the register at the date shown; it is not the same as an inspection carried out on this directory's behalf, and it can go out of date between checks. Data Mill North's register can be checked directly at datamillnorth.org.
For what to ask about vaccinations and conditions alongside a licence check, see our Leeds vaccinations and licences guide.