Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Margate, Thanet and Swale

Eighteen dog boarders, day cares and kennels are listed across Margate, Thanet and Swale. Fifteen are licensed by Thanet District Council or Swale Borough Council, checked through animal-licensing.uk, an independent third-party mirror of each council's own register rather than the council's own site; one, Rosie's Retreat near Sandwich, was checked directly on Dover District Council's own register. Three — MrDogStar, Doggy Dream Garden Retreat and Sandy Tails — were not matched to any register at all, though two of them quote their own licence number.

Ask to see the licence itself

A mirror listing is still real evidence that a licence exists, but it is not the same as reading a council's own page, and it does not show everything a council record might: Thanet's mirror pages give a licence type and expiry date only, with no licence number and no star; Swale's mirror pages add a licence number where recorded. For any of the three unmatched businesses, or for a self-quoted star or number you want to check yourself, ask to see the current certificate directly rather than relying on a website's own claim.

Vaccinations

Every business here should ask what vaccinations your dog needs before a stay, and it is worth asking exactly when they need to see proof, since this is set by each business rather than by a single national rule. None of the eighteen businesses listed here publish a specific vaccination schedule of their own, so treat "ask before booking" as the working rule everywhere on this list.

Insurance and other claims

Several businesses here describe themselves as insured or DBS-checked on their own sites: Pals With Tails, a home boarder covering Sittingbourne, Bapchild, Teynham and Faversham, states it is fully insured and DBS (formerly CRB) checked. As with a licence, this directory cannot check an insurance claim independently, so "the business states it is insured" is exactly what it means; ask to see evidence of current cover if it matters to you.

Questions worth asking before you book

• Can I see your current council licence certificate, including the licence number and expiry date?
• What vaccinations do you require, and how long before my dog's stay do you need to see proof?
• Do you have a policy on kennel cough, and what is it?
• Can you show evidence of your public liability insurance?
• Do you have any breed restrictions or conditions, including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate?
• How many other dogs, and from how many households, will be there during my dates?
• What happens if my dog needs a vet while it is in your care, and who decides and pays?

See our guide to how licensing works here for the full picture on the mirror register, and our choosing guide for home boarding, day care and kennels.