Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Worcester
Worcester's nineteen listed dog boarders, day cares and kennels are all licensed through one shared service, Worcestershire Regulatory Services, covering Worcester City Council, Malvern Hills District Council and Wychavon District Council. Every one of the nineteen is confirmed on one of the three councils' registers, which makes Worcester one of the more checkable towns on this site, but a confirmed licence still is not the same as knowing what a particular business will ask of you.
Vaccinations and kennel cough
Ask what vaccinations a business requires and how long before your dog's stay it needs to see proof, since this varies between one boarder and the next and is the business's own policy rather than something this directory sets or checks. Ask separately about kennel cough: some businesses require cover against it and some do not.
What the register does and does not show
Worcestershire Regulatory Services' three register pages each give a licence holder's name, the activity licensed, a star rating and an expiry date, but none of the three gives a postal address or a licence number on the public page itself, which is thinner than some other towns' registers. A star rating is the council's own inspection score, not a customer review, and it is worth asking to see the certificate itself rather than relying only on what a business's own website says about its rating.
Insurance and breed policies
None of Worcester's nineteen listed businesses publish a statement about insurance on their own site, so do not assume cover is in place; ask directly, and treat any claim of being insured as the business's own statement rather than something this directory has verified. The same applies to breed policies: several kennels and home boarders apply their own conditions on breeds they will not take, including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate, so ask rather than assume either way before you book.
If your dog is a puppy
Ask specifically whether a business is set up for a puppy rather than an adult dog: puppies need more frequent toileting breaks, shorter days and closer supervision than most day cares or boarders build in as standard. Malvern Happy Paws is the only business listed here that names puppy visits among its own services, though others may still be willing to take a young puppy on request; ask rather than assume either way.
Questions worth asking before you book
- What vaccinations do you require, and how long before the stay do you need to see proof of them?
- What is your policy on kennel cough?
- Do you have breed conditions, including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate?
- Can I see your current council licence certificate and your latest star rating?
- Are you insured, and can you show evidence of current cover?
- How many other dogs, and from how many households, will be there during my dates?
None of these are questions this directory can answer on a business's behalf. See our Worcester council licences guide for how the three councils' registers work in more detail.