Find Trusted Dog Day Care Providers in Croydon

Licensing

A commercial dog day care run from business premises needs an animal activities licence for providing day care for dogs under the 2018 Regulations. Day care run from the operator's own home is licensed differently, as home boarding for dogs.

Defra's guidance for day care says one member of staff should look after no more than 10 dogs, and each dog must have 6 m² of space. The licence has to state the maximum number of dogs allowed on the site. One full-time member of staff for every eight dogs is an optional higher standard, not the minimum. There is no fixed rule on group size. Dogs must be kept in compatible groups, be able to be separated and be supervised at all times.

Croydon Council's animal licensing page links to a downloadable list of licensed animal boarding establishments. Check the operator's name and address against the list, ask to see the licence on display, and contact the council's licensing team if the licensed activity or its current status is unclear.

Licences carry a star rating from 1 to 5. The rating is based on the inspection, welfare standards and the risk of the business not complying. It is not a customer review score. It also decides whether the licence runs for one, two or three years.

Commuting and drop-off

Croydon has rail stations at East Croydon, West Croydon, Norwood Junction, Purley and Coulsdon, and trams run through East and West Croydon. Owners who commute by train or tram can drop a dog off on the way to the station and collect it on the way home. Older council transport data showed more people commuting out of the borough than into it.

If you plan to drive or use a collection service, check the provider's collection times, what vehicle they use and where you can legally stop or park nearby. The council's transport material notes peak-time congestion on the A23 and A232, and commuter parking near some tram stops.

Defra requires any dogs transported by a day care operator to be safely restrained. Dogs must not be left alone in a vehicle when the temperature could put them at risk.

Types of premises

Day care can be run from commercial premises or from the operator's home, and each is licensed differently. No type of building is suitable just because of where it is, whether it is an industrial unit, a converted shop or a site on the edge of farmland. The licence inspection looks at the actual site, including space, staffing, how dogs can be kept apart, ventilation and noise.

Operators changing the use of a building should check with Croydon Council whether planning permission is needed. The council can also investigate barking if it amounts to a statutory noise nuisance.

What owners should check

Defra requires an up-to-date vet record showing core vaccinations, with the primary course finished at least two weeks before the dog starts. Some providers also ask for the kennel cough vaccine.

Dogs must be assessed before they are admitted for signs of stress, fear or danger to other dogs or people. The guidance does not set a standard trial day and does not require dogs to be neutered. Operators do have to record whether each dog is neutered and stop unneutered bitches from mating.

When you visit, ask to see the licence and the number of dogs it allows. Ask how staff put groups together and supervise them, where a dog can go to rest quietly, what happens if a dog is ill or injured, and how they record a new dog's assessment. Policies on kennel cough, neutering, trial sessions, collection times and late fees are set by each provider, not by law, so ask about those too.

Seasonal considerations

Defra requires day cares to have a policy for extreme temperatures and does not allow dogs to be left in vehicles when heat could put them at risk. In hot weather, ask how the provider cuts back on energetic outdoor play, provides water and cooler places to rest, and changes walks or transport.