We looked for Gwynedd dog boarding centres with their own website, a Google Maps listing with at least eight reviews and a licence we could see, and none passed all three. Gwynedd Council’s licensing page explains that boarding kennels and home boarders need a licence, but it shows no public register of who holds one, and the only Gwynedd centre with a website that fits the bill doesn’t quote a licence number. That doesn’t mean anyone is unlicensed. It means we couldn’t see the proof, so we haven’t listed anyone as verified. We haven’t visited any of them, so ask to see the licence before you book.
Dog boarding centres we could verify in Gwynedd
None yet. Gwynedd Council shows no register of licensed boarding premises, and no Gwynedd boarding website we found gives a licence number with the council named. Ratings and review counts on this page are from Google Maps on 13 November 2026 and come from the public. We haven’t checked them independently. Several well-reviewed Gwynedd kennels have no website on their Google listing, and they are named below.
Listings we left out, and why
Elna Dog Kennels in Penygroes (4.9 from 59), Aber Falls Kennels and Cattery in Abergwyngregyn (4.8 from 69), Arnwen Tyn Rhodd Boarding Kennels and Cattery in Waunfawr (4.7 from 31) and centrepaws… dogtastic holidays in Y Fron (5.0 from 37) all list as kennels or pet boarding services on Google Maps, but none has a website on its Google listing, so they miss our own-website rule. Gwynedd Dog Walking (4.9 from 10) is a dog walker with no licence evidence we could see, and PetzArk Pet Care Services, Paws In North Wales and a few other pet sitters have fewer than eight reviews or are not boarding. Cozy Cattery in Nebo and The Cat House Dolfawr are catteries, so we left them out. Several centres that come up in Gwynedd searches sit in neighbouring council areas and belong in those guides: Bodowen Luxury Boarding Kennels, Gatehouse Kennels and Trefdraeth Boarding Kennels are on Anglesey, Tal-y-Cafn Kennels, Hafod-Y-Bryn Boarding Kennels and Country Kennels & Cattery are in Conwy, Dolcorsllwyn Boarding Kennels & Cattery is in Powys and Cys Ci Luxury Dog Retreat is in Ceredigion. Rover showed only a handful of Gwynedd sitters and none with 50 or more reviews, so we haven’t listed any. A centre being left out doesn’t mean it is unlicensed. It means we couldn’t tick every box, so ask it.
Other options we could not licence-verify
This Gwynedd centre offers dog boarding and has its own website and a Google Maps listing, but we could not see a licence number or an official record, so we do not recommend it as verified. The rating is from Google Maps on 13 November 2026. We have not visited it. Ask for its licence, what it covers, who issued it and its expiry date before booking.
Tynydref Kennels (The Canine Centre)
★★★★ 4.3 · 29 Google reviews
Morfa Bychan Road, Porthmadog (LL49 9UT)
Type: Kennel
Licence: its website says “Licensed, Fully Insured & Vet Approved” but shows no licence number, no issuing council and no expiry date. Gwynedd Council shows no public register, so we couldn’t check it against a council record. Its website lists dog boarding in its services and doesn’t spell out overnight stays, so ask what it offers
Also offers daycare: see our dog daycare guide for Gwynedd
Website
View on Google Maps
How to check a dog boarding licence in Gwynedd
In Wales, boarding dogs for other people is covered by the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, which works through licences from the local council. Gwynedd Council’s animal boarding establishment page (read 13 November 2026) says that to run a boarding kennel or cattery you need a licence from the local authority, that the number of dogs and cats allowed is specified on the licence, and it cites the Act. It links separate conditions for dog boarding kennels, catteries and home boarding of dogs. We found no public register of licensed premises on the council’s pages, and its online licence register has no animal boarding category, so we couldn’t check any centre against a council record. Many Welsh licences run to the end of the calendar year, and the council page doesn’t give a licence period, so ask each boarder for the licence, its number and its expiry date, and ask when the renewal will be in place. To check a centre, email trwyddedu@gwynedd.llyw.cymru or phone the council on 01766 771 000.
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 Gwynedd: our Gwynedd dog services hub, dog daycare in Gwynedd if your dog only needs the day, dog walkers in Gwynedd, vets in Gwynedd and secure dog fields in Gwynedd.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you choose which Gwynedd dog boarding centres to list?
A centre is listed as verified only if it has its own website, a Google Maps listing with at least eight reviews and a licence we can see, either on a council record or quoted by number on its site with the council named. None of the Gwynedd centres we checked met all three on 13 November 2026, so we list none as verified. One with a website is in a separate section, ‘Other options we could not licence-verify’. We haven’t visited it.
Does dog boarding need a licence in Gwynedd?
In Wales, boarding dogs for other people as a business needs a council licence under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. Gwynedd Council’s page says a licence is needed to run a boarding kennel or cattery and links separate conditions for home boarding of dogs. Ask any boarder to show you the licence, its number and its expiry date before you book.
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 are no Gwynedd kennels listed as verified?
Gwynedd Council shows no public register of licensed boarding premises, and the one centre with a website that we could assess doesn’t quote a licence number. Several well-reviewed kennels have no website on Google Maps. We don’t list them as verified, but one is in the ‘Other options we could not licence-verify’ section. Ask any centre directly, or contact the council’s licensing team.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who prefers his holidays to be properly licensed.
