Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Wigan and Skelmersdale
Nine dog boarders, day cares and kennels are listed for Wigan and Skelmersdale, licensed by two councils. Every business sets its own vaccination and paperwork requirements, so this guide is a list of questions worth asking before you book, not a set of rules this site enforces.
Vaccinations
No specific vaccination requirement is quoted here for any Wigan or Skelmersdale business, since a requirement can change and this research cannot verify one on an ongoing basis. Ask what proof a business wants, whether it treats kennel cough vaccination separately, and how long before your dog's stay it needs to see that proof.
Licensing
Wigan Council licenses seven of the nine businesses here — Talbot House Kennels & Cattery, Dukes Barn Farm Boarding Kennels & Cattery, Pet Getaway, Canine Companions Indoor Play Centre & Day Care for Dogs, Barking Beauties, Digs for Dogs (Wigan) and We Love Pets Wigan — and publishes its own register with a star rating for every entry, most recently updated 16 September 2026. The remaining two, Woofits Doggy Day Care and Upholland Luxury Kennels & Cattery, both in Skelmersdale, are licensed by West Lancashire Borough Council; its own register file is dated 13 September 2025 and, against that file, both businesses' recorded licence expiry dates have already passed, so no licence panel or star is shown for either here. Ask each one directly whether its licence has since been renewed.
Timing and multiple dogs
Some of Wigan and Skelmersdale's businesses only accept collection and drop-off within a fixed window rather than at any time: Talbot House Kennels & Cattery, for instance, takes handovers 9am to 11am and 4pm to 6pm, Monday to Saturday, closed Wednesday and Sunday. Dukes Barn Farm Boarding Kennels & Cattery, by contrast, is staffed 24 hours a day. Ask any business what its own hours are before assuming you can collect or drop off at a convenient time for you. Two of the town's home boarders, Digs for Dogs (Wigan) and We Love Pets Wigan, are local franchise branches covering a wide stretch of the borough, so more than one household's dog may pass through in a given week; ask how many other dogs, and from how many households, are likely to be there during your own dates.
Breed rules and insurance
A boarding or day-care business is entitled to ask about breed restrictions or refuse a booking, including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate, so ask directly rather than assume either way. None of the businesses listed here publish a stated insurance position, so ask whether a business holds public liability cover if that matters to you.
Questions to ask before you book
- What vaccinations do you require, and how long before the stay do you need to see proof?
- Do you have a policy on kennel cough, and what is it?
- Do you have any breed restrictions or conditions?
- Can I see your current council licence?
- How many other dogs, and from how many households, will be there during my dates?
- What happens if my dog needs a vet while in your care?
See our council licences guide for more on Wigan Council's and West Lancashire Borough Council's registers, and our prices guide for what the four businesses that publish a price charge.