Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Stoke-on-Trent
Stoke-on-Trent's 17 published dog boarders, kennels and day cares sit under four different councils: Stoke-on-Trent City Council for Hanley & Stoke, Burslem & Tunstall, Longton & Fenton and Trentham & Blurton; Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council for Newcastle-under-Lyme and Kidsgrove; Staffordshire Moorlands District Council for Leek and one kennels near Stone; and Stafford Borough Council, which nominally covers Stone. Wherever you call, the same set of questions is worth asking.
Vaccinations
Every boarder and day care sets its own vaccination policy, and it is not the same from one business to the next, so ask what a business requires and how long before your dog's stay it needs to see proof. This site cannot state a schedule on any business's behalf, and a wrong steer here would be a genuine welfare risk, so treat the answer you are given as that business's own policy, not a rule this site imposes.
Kennel cough
Kennel cough exists wherever dogs mix, whether that is a kennel run at Audley Lodge Luxury Boarding Kennels, a living room at a home boarder such as Ruddy Paws, or a day-care group at Doggy Day Care in Silverdale. Ask what a business's policy is; none of the 17 publish a prevention claim and this guide does not make one either.
The licence, and what it does and doesn't show
Sixteen of the 17 listed businesses are confirmed against the relevant council's own register; only Happy Waggers & Sleepy Whiskers in Kidsgrove states a licence number on its own site that could not be matched against Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council's published list. A confirmed match is not a promise of current standards, since a register can change the same day it is checked, so ask to see the current certificate and number at any of the 17, and see our council licences guide for how each of the four councils' registers works.
Breed policies
Any of these businesses is entitled to ask about, or refuse, a particular breed, including an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate. None states its policy here as a matter of fact, so ask directly, including whether an XL Bully would need to be muzzled and leashed on site as it must be in public.
Insurance
Do not assume cover exists because a business looks established. Where a business's own material states it holds insurance, that is the business's own claim, not something this site has verified; where nothing is published, ask directly and ask to see evidence.
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?
- How is medication given, and is there an extra charge for it?
None of these questions can be answered for you here; see our first-stay guide for what to expect once you have booked.