We could not verify any Cardiff dog boarding centres this time. To list a centre we need its own website, a Google Maps listing, a clear offer of boarding and a licence we can see, and neither Cardiff Council nor Shared Regulatory Services publishes a register we could read that names a Cardiff boarder. Seven kennels and home boarders with a website and good reviews sit under “Other options” for you to ask about. We haven’t visited anywhere, and a missing name doesn’t mean a centre is unlicensed. It means we couldn’t see the proof. Use the licence checks below, and ask any boarder to show you their licence before you book.
Listings we left out, and why
Friends for Pets Cardiff (86 Google reviews) says on its website that its home boarding is “licensed with Cardiff Council DABO118”, but the site presents it as a local branch of a national franchise rather than a single centre, so we have left it out (our dog daycare guide for Cardiff lists it as an option to ask about). Slanwood Kennels (31) has no website on its Google listing. UltiMutts (24) is listed on Google as a pet boarding service in Creigiau, but its website blocks our reading tools, so we couldn’t confirm what it offers. Wagging Tails Dog Boarding (9), Little Dogs Hotel (37) and Rachel’s Pet Care Services (52) show Cardiff or nearby addresses on Google but are in the Vale of Glamorgan, so they belong in that guide. Cilfynydd Boarding Kennels, Springfield Boarding Kennels, Pawsinnponty and Wiggle Wiggle are in Rhondda Cynon Taf, The Cwtch Animal Homestay is in Torfaen, Islwyn Boarding Kennels is in Caerphilly and Penylan Country Lodge is in Monmouthshire, all outside Cardiff. Fran’s Happy Hounds (11) and Canis DayCare (32) are daycare, which our daycare guide covers, and we didn’t assess them for boarding. Danescourt & Radyr Pet Service (39) and Lucy’s Leads Cardiff (8) are dog walkers. The Fairy Dog Mother (3 reviews), Fluff and go pet services (3) and Blossom Pet Sitting (3) are under our eight-review minimum, and Home from Home Dog Hotel and RST Pet Care & Boarding Services have no reviews and no website on Google Maps. Rover hosts for Cardiff are home sitters rather than centres: we opened the two with 50 or more reviews and neither states a licence. We didn’t assess other matching platforms. A centre being left out doesn’t mean it is unlicensed. It means we couldn’t see the proof, so ask it.
Other options we could not licence-verify
These seven have a website, a Google Maps listing and good reviews, but we could not confirm a boarding licence, so treat them as options to ask questions of rather than verified listings.
Pentyrch Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.6 · 135 Google reviews
Pentyrch, Cardiff (CF15 9NP)
Type: Kennel
Licence: its website offers kennels for your dog to stay but shows no licence statement or number and names no council, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence, its number, which council issued it and when it expires
Website
View on Google Maps
PontK9 Dog Walking & Boarding
★★★★★ 4.9 · 111 Google reviews
Pontcanna, Cardiff (CF11)
Type: Home boarding
Licence: its website calls its dog boarding “fully licensed” and says “Licensed By Council”, but it names no council and gives no licence number, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence, its number, which council issued it and when it expires
Also offers daycare: see our dog daycare guide for Cardiff
Website
View on Google Maps
Gedrys Farm Kennels
★★★★★ 4.7 · 90 Google reviews
Gwaelod-y-Garth, Cardiff (CF15 9JL)
Type: Kennel
Licence: its website offers residential stays and says “Fully Licensed”, but gives no licence number, council or expiry date, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence, its number, which council issued it and when it expires
Also offers daycare: see our dog daycare guide for Cardiff
Website
View on Google Maps
The Boarding Centre
★★★★☆ 4.3 · 56 Google reviews
Pontprennau, Cardiff (CF14 0PJ)
Type: Kennel
Licence: its website says it boards dogs, cats and small pets as well as offering pet day care, but shows no licence statement or number and names no council, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence for dogs, its number, which council issued it and when it expires. We have said only what it states about dogs
Also offers daycare: see our dog daycare guide for Cardiff
Website
View on Google Maps
Barkingham Palace
★★★★★ 5.0 · 31 Google reviews
Rumney, Cardiff (CF3 2EH)
Type: Boarding (type not stated)
Licence: its website describes a boarding service for dogs but shows no licence statement or number, names no council and doesn’t spell out overnight stays, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask whether dogs stay overnight, and ask to see the licence, its number and when it expires
Website
View on Google Maps
A Buddy for Hire – Dog Boarding and Walking
★★★★★ 5.0 · 23 Google reviews
Fairwater, Cardiff (CF5)
Type: Home boarding
Licence: its website blocks our reading tools, so we couldn’t read what it says about its licence, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence, its number, which council issued it and when it expires
Also offers daycare: see our dog daycare guide for Cardiff
Website
View on Google Maps
Happy Dogs Home Boarding & Transport
★★★★★ 5.0 · 8 Google reviews
Cardiff (CF14)
Type: Home boarding
Licence: its website (on a free site-builder address) describes home boarding for a small number of dogs, but shows no licence statement or number and names no council, and the Shared Regulatory Services registers we read list no Cardiff boarders. Ask to see the licence, its number, which council issued it and when it expires. Only eight reviews so far, so weigh that
Website
View on Google Maps
Ratings and review counts are from Google Maps on 13 November 2026 and come from the public. We haven’t checked them independently. Register dates are as the registers showed them on that day, and they can change.
How to check a dog boarding licence in Cardiff
In Wales, dog boarding kennels and home boarders are licensed by the council under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, which Blaenau Gwent’s licence page cites. GOV.UK’s page for Wales says you need a licence from your council to run a boarding kennel, and that home boarding needs one too, even for a small number of animals. Cardiff Council’s animal related licences page (checked 13 November 2026) says the council is the licensing authority for a range of animal licences, but it doesn’t mention boarding, name the Act or link a public register. Licensing for Cardiff is run by Shared Regulatory Services, which also covers Bridgend and the Vale of Glamorgan. Its kennel and home boarding licence conditions say a copy of the licence must be displayed to the public in a prominent position, but they don’t require a licence number on a website. Its two public registers, an Animal Boarding Public Register (printed 14 September 2026, 15 licences) and a Home Boarding Public Register (printed 8 October 2026, 42 entries), list no Cardiff addresses, and every entry on both expires on 31 December 2026, so they can’t be used to check a Cardiff boarder. Many Welsh licences run to the end of the calendar year, so ask each boarder for the licence, its number and its expiry date, and if it ends on 31 December, ask when the renewal will be in place. To check a licence, ask the boarder to show it, or phone Shared Regulatory Services on 0300 123 6696 and follow the options for Cardiff Licensing, or Cardiff Council Licensing on 029 2087 1651 (lines open Monday to Friday, 10am to 3pm, per the council’s page).
What to ask before you book
Ask what vaccinations the centre wants to see, and speak to your vet about what your own dog needs. Our guide to kennel cough in dogs explains the signs and when to call your vet. Ask what happens if your dog needs a vet in the night, who is on site overnight, how dogs are exercised and supervised, whether dogs from different homes ever mix, how many dogs are boarded at once, and whether a trial stay is possible.
A stay somewhere new can feel exciting or unsettling for some dogs. A calming bite is a complementary feed some owners use around change, and if your dog struggles with being left, speak to your vet or a qualified behaviourist first.
More for Cardiff: our Cardiff dog services hub, dog daycare in Cardiff if your dog only needs the day, dog walkers in Cardiff for a midday walk, vets in Cardiff and dog trainers in Cardiff.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you look for Cardiff dog boarding centres?
We looked for centres with their own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we could see, on a register or quoted by the centre. We checked on 13 November 2026 and found none in Cardiff that met all of that. We haven’t visited anywhere.
Does dog boarding need a licence in Cardiff?
In Wales, dog boarding kennels and home boarders need a council licence under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. Cardiff Council’s page says it issues a range of animal licences but doesn’t mention boarding or link a register, so ask to see the licence, its number and its expiry date.
What should I ask a kennel or home boarder before booking?
Ask to see the licence and its expiry date, what vaccinations they want to see, what happens if your dog needs a vet, how dogs are exercised and supervised, whether dogs from different homes mix, and whether a trial stay is possible. Speak to your vet about your own dog’s needs.
Why does this guide list no verified centres?
We only list centres where we could see a boarding licence. The registers we could read name no Cardiff boarder, and the one Cardiff website that quotes a licence number belongs to a franchise branch, so we left it out. Seven kennels and home boarders with a website and good reviews sit under other options. Not being listed doesn’t mean a centre is unlicensed.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who prefers his holidays to be properly licensed.
