We found fifteen Devon dog boarding centres we could verify: each has its own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we could see, either on a council’s published list or quoted by number on the centre’s own site. Some also board cats, and we judged them on their dog licence. We haven’t visited any of them, so treat this as a shortlist to meet. A daycare-only licence isn’t boarding evidence, so we’ve kept the two lists apart.
Boarding centres with a website, a licence we could see and a Google Maps listing
Foredowne Kennels & Cattery
★★★★★ 4.5 · 351 Google reviews
Maddacombe Road, Kingskerswell, Newton Abbot (TQ12)
Licence: its website says “We hold a Teignbridge District Council 5* licence – No 25/01187/ANIWEL”. We couldn’t read a Teignbridge register to check it, so ask to see the licence
Boards dogs and cats, per its website. Website: foredownekennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Gentian Hill Pet Hotel
★★★★★ 4.8 · 122 Google reviews
Hareston Road, near Plymouth (PL8)
Licence: South Hams District Council’s Animal Welfare Licence Register (read 13 November 2026) lists Gentian Hill Pet Hotel, PL8, licence SHLAIA22, dog kennels and cat boarding, five stars, expiry 30 July 2029. We matched it by name and postcode area. Its website calls it a “5 Star Pet Hotel” but shows no number
Dog holidays in large pens that can be shared by dogs from the same family, per its website. Website: gentianhillpethotel.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Tiverton Dog Centre
★★★★★ 4.9 · 104 Google reviews
Tiverton (EX16)
Licence: Mid Devon District Council’s Licensing Animal Register (updated 20 October 2026) lists “Tiverton Dog Centre Boarding Kennels”, licence AWL0052, dog boarding, 5 star, expiry 15 July 2029, at a different Tiverton postcode (EX16 9DS) from the daycare address on Google Maps, so we matched it by name
Boards dogs, per its website. Website: tivertondogcentre.co.uk. Also offers daycare, which we cover in our Devon dog daycare guide
View on Google Maps
Whitebridge Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.5 · 78 Google reviews
High Bickington, Umberleigh (EX37)
Licence: Torridge District Council’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists Whitebridge Boarding Kennels, High Bickington, licence ANACT/00249/19, boarding for dogs, 5 star, expiry 15 May 2027. We matched it by name and area. Its website shows no licence number
Website: whitebridgeboardingkennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Longford Chase Boarding Kennels & Cattery
★★★★★ 4.9 · 58 Google reviews
Near Tavistock (PL19)
Licence: its website shows “Licence Number: WDAL0047” and “Issued by West Devon Borough Council”. We couldn’t read a West Devon register to check it, so ask to see the licence
The page we read lists its kennels without saying which animals it takes, so confirm dog boarding when you call. Website: longfordchase.com
View on Google Maps
Kestrel Kennels
★★★★★ 5.0 · 50 Google reviews
Wilminstone, Tavistock (PL19)
Licence: its website shows “WDLAIA22” and names West Devon as the licensing council. We couldn’t read a West Devon register to check it, so ask to see the licence
Home-from-home dog boarding with dogs walked four times a day, per its website. Website: kestrelkennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Lapford Lodge Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.5 · 45 Google reviews
Lapford, Crediton (EX17)
Licence: Mid Devon District Council’s Licensing Animal Register (updated 20 October 2026) lists “Lapford Lodge”, licence AWL0042, dog and cat boarding, EX17 6QU, 3 star, expiry 21 January 2027, so ask whether it has been renewed. We matched it by name and postcode. Its website blocks automated readers, so we couldn’t read it
Website: lapfordlodgekennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Towsers Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.8 · 43 Google reviews
Stony Cross, Bideford (EX39)
Licence: its website shows “Animal Activity License No ANACT/00674/24” without naming the council. Torridge District Council’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists the same number for Towsers Kennels, boarding for dogs, 4 star, expiry 12 January 2028
Dogs get playtime in 2.5 acres of fields, per its website. Website: towserskennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Drum Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.5 · 35 Google reviews
Roncombe Hill, Sidbury, near Sidmouth (EX10)
Licence: East Devon District Council’s Animal Public Register (October 2026, updated 23 October 2026) lists Drum Kennels, Sidbury, licence EDDC/050/AL, combined kennels and cattery, 3 star, expiry 25 June 2027. Its website quotes an older reference (kennels 22/00014/ANIMBO) and a 5-star rating, so go by the register and ask to see the current licence
Boards dogs and cats, per its website. Website: drumboardingkennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Braddon House Kennels
★★★★★ 5.0 · 34 Google reviews
Buckland Brewer, Bideford (EX39)
Licence: Torridge District Council’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists Braddon House Kennels, licence ANACT/00050/19, boarding for dogs, 5 star, expiry 31 December 2026, so ask whether it has been renewed. We matched it by name and area. Its website says “fully licensed” and “Luxury 5 Star” but shows no number
Website: braddonhousekennels.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Canine Country Club
★★★★★ 4.9 · 31 Google reviews
Youlstone, near Bude (EX23). The Bude postcode is misleading: Youlstone is in Torridge, Devon
Licence: Torridge District Council’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists Canine Country Club, Youlstone, licence ANACT/00055/19, boarding for dogs, 5 star, expiry 31 December 2027. Its website quotes a different reference (ANACT/00670/24) and a 5 star rating from Torridge Council, so ask to see the current licence
Website: caninecountryclub.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Molly’s Mates Day Care for Dogs (home boarding)
★★★★★ 4.9 · 27 Google reviews
Kentisbeare, near Cullompton (EX15)
Licence: Mid Devon District Council’s Licensing Animal Register (updated 20 October 2026) lists “Molly’s Mates Day Care for Dogs – Home Boarding”, licence AWL0018, 5 star, expiry 13 July 2028. We matched it by name, and the postcode differs from the one on Google Maps. Its website blocks automated readers, so we couldn’t read it or confirm how it describes boarding
Also offers daycare, which we cover in our Devon dog daycare guide
View on Google Maps
Beacon Kennels and Cattery
★★★ 3.2 · 23 Google reviews
Marldon, Paignton (TQ3)
Licence: South Hams District Council’s Animal Welfare Licence Register (read 13 November 2026) lists Beacon Kennels and Cattery, TQ3, licence SHAL0083, dog kennels and cat boarding, three stars, expiry 22 March 2028. We matched it by name and postcode. Its website blocks automated readers, so we couldn’t read it
This is the lowest Google rating on this page, so read the reviews before you decide. Website: beacon-kennelsandcattery.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Dyers Moor Farm & Kennels
★★★★★ 5.0 · 21 Google reviews
Parkham, Bideford (EX39)
Licence: its website footer shows “License No. ANACT/00401/24” and “Torridge District Council”. Torridge’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists Dyers Moor, Parkham Ash, with the same number, boarding for dogs, 3 star, expiry 10 July 2027
Google lists it as a daycare centre, but its website describes dog kennels for when you’re away. Website: dyersmoor.co.uk
View on Google Maps
Trixie Paws (home boarding)
★★★★★ 4.6 · 12 Google reviews
Buckland Brewer, Bideford (EX39)
Licence: Torridge District Council’s Animal Public Register (last updated 2 November 2026) lists Trixie Paws, Buckland Brewer, licence ANACT/00463/24, home boarding for dogs, 5 star, expiry 15 September 2027. We matched it by name and town
A home boarder, so ask where your dog will sleep and who else will be in the house. Only 12 reviews so far, so weigh that. Website: trixiepaws.com
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 details are as the councils published them on the dates above, and a register renewal date isn’t an expiry, so always ask to see the licence in date.
Listings we left out, and why
Paws a While Kennels near Exeter (4.6 from 48), Byter Downe Kennels near Totnes (4.9 from 47), Bunkersland Boarding Kennels in Tiverton (4.7 from 79) and Hartshill Kennels & Cattery near Axminster (4.9 from 36) show no website on Google Maps. East Devon and Mid Devon list the first, third and fourth, but we only include centres with their own site. Bunkersland’s Mid Devon entry runs to 31 December 2026. St Mary in the Willows Dog Hotel at Aylesbeare (5.0 from 1), Blackdown Boarding Kennels near Crediton (5.0 from 2) and Bogmoor Kennels in Holsworthy (5.0 from 6) have fewer than eight Google reviews. Grove Nurseries, Tri-Acre Kennels and Kit Hill Castle Boarding Kennels have Cornwall addresses, so they belong in our Cornwall boarding guide. Old Moor, Moor Park and Devondale are catteries. Fishers Down Dog Boarding, Barks Hotel, Trelawn Boarding Kennels, Holidays 4 Dogs Devon and Cornwall and Beech Tree Kennels appear on North Devon Council’s list of pending applications, not granted licences. Torridge’s register lists a Dog Lodge at Buckland Brewer, but we found no Google listing under that name, and we didn’t check Old Orchard Farm Boarding Kennels (4.5 from 92) or West Rooke Farm Boarding Kennels (4.5 from 48). Devon has a lot of kennels and home boarders on registers we could only partly use, so this list is not exhaustive. Rover hosts are home sitters rather than centres, and we haven’t listed any. 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 have their own website and a good Google rating, but we couldn’t tie them to a council licence. Animal Paradise, Clapham near Exeter (EX6), 4.8 from 89: its website says “dog boarding” but shows no licence number or council. Cary Kennels, Denbury, Newton Abbot (TQ12), 4.6 from 59: its site shows “Licence No: 25/00464/ANIWEL” without naming the council. Coombe Kennels, Harracott, Barnstaple (EX31), 4.9 from 56: its site shows “WL0017” without naming the council, and it isn’t on the Torridge register. Riverside Boarding Kennels and Cattery, Hatherleigh, Okehampton (EX20), 4.9 from 49, and Blackdown Rings Kennels and Cattery, Loddiswell, Kingsbridge (TQ7), 4.6 from 60: neither home page we read shows a licence number, and we found no South Hams register entry for Blackdown Rings under that exact name. That doesn’t mean they’re unlicensed, so ask to see the licence before you book.
How to check a dog boarding licence in Devon
In England, dog boarding run as a business needs a licence from the local council under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, whether it’s kennels or home boarding. The licence holder’s name and number should appear on the business’s website, and a copy should be displayed at the premises. In Devon the council depends on where the centre is: East Devon, Exeter, Mid Devon, North Devon, South Hams, Teignbridge, Torridge or West Devon district councils, or Plymouth City Council or Torbay Council. On 13 November 2026 we could use East Devon’s, Torridge’s, Mid Devon’s and South Hams’ lists. We couldn’t use Plymouth’s, Torbay’s, North Devon’s, Teignbridge’s, Exeter’s or West Devon’s, so for those ask the council’s licensing team. A star rating on a licence runs from one to five and reflects the standards the council found, and the licence has an expiry date, so check it’s in date. A register renewal date isn’t an expiry. If the number on a website differs from the register, ask which is current.
What to ask before you book
Ask to see the licence, its number and its expiry date. Ask how many dogs are boarded at once, whether your dog will have their own kennel or room, who is on site overnight, how often dogs are walked or let out, and what happens if your dog is unwell, including which vet the centre uses. Check what vaccinations it asks for, which may include kennel cough, and read our guide to kennel cough in dogs. Ask for a visit first and whether your dog can have a trial day. For home boarders, ask where your dog will sleep, who else lives there and whether other dogs stay at the same time.
A kennel stay can unsettle a sensitive dog. 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 Devon: our Devon dog services hub, dog daycare in Devon for day visits, dog walkers in Devon, vets in Devon, dog trainers in Devon and secure dog fields in Devon.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you choose these Devon dog boarding kennels?
Each has its own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we could see, either on a council’s published list or quoted by number on its own site. We checked Google Maps and the council lists on 13 November 2026. We haven’t visited any of them, so meet any centre first.
Does a dog boarding kennel need a licence in Devon?
In England, boarding run as a business needs a council licence under the 2018 regulations. In Devon that is the district council, Plymouth City Council or Torbay Council, depending on where the centre is. Ask to see the licence, its number and its expiry date.
What should I ask a boarding kennel before booking?
Ask for the licence, how many dogs stay at once, whether your dog has their own kennel, who is on site overnight, and what happens if a dog is unwell. Ask to visit first.
Why are some well-reviewed kennels missing?
We only list as verified the centres where we could see a licence. Some show no website on Google Maps, some websites show a licence number without naming the council, and we couldn’t read every council’s list.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who prefers his holidays to be properly licensed.
