Choosing a kennel for a week away is one of the harder bits of dog ownership. Figo has strong views on his holiday arrangements, and so do I. So we looked at Staffordshire properly: the councils’ licence registers, the kennels’ own websites and their Google Maps ratings, then kept only the centres where all three line up.
Fifteen made the main list, ordered by number of Google reviews. A few more had good evidence but fell outside our cap of 15, so they sit under Other options. Do ask to see the current licence whichever you choose.
Boarding centres with a website, a licence we could see and a Google Maps listing
Ranworth Lodge Kennels
★★★★★ 5.0 · 237 Google reviews
Mucklestone, near Market Drayton (TF9)
Licence: Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council list, entry M/019215, Kennels (dog boarding), 5 star, expires 27 March 2029. Matched by name and place; the site gives no number.
Dog boarding kennels, 16 rooms
Website · View on Google Maps
Oaklands Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.9 · 220 Google reviews
Hopton, Stafford (ST18)
Licence: Stafford Borough Council eLicensing register, 64546, Dogs in Kennels, 10 September 2024 to 9 September 2027, 5 star. Matched by name; the site says local-authority licensed but gives no number.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
Long Meadow Pet Resort
★★★★★ 4.7 · 215 Google reviews
Himley (DY3)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 26/00147/ADCBO, dog and cat boarding, 5 star. The register gives no expiry date. Matched by name and place; the site blocks our tools, so we could not read it.
Dog and cat boarding
Website · View on Google Maps
Quintessential Quarters
★★★★★ 4.9 · 200 Google reviews
Cotes Heath, near Eccleshall (ST21)
Licence: Stafford Borough Council eLicensing register, 93127, Dogs in Kennels (also boarding cats), 15 January 2024 to 14 January 2027, 5 star. Worth asking about renewal. The site quotes an older reference (M090145); we have used the register number.
Dog and cat boarding
Website · View on Google Maps
Brookfields Luxury Boarding and Canine Care Centre
★★★★★ 4.8 · 183 Google reviews
Lichfield (WS14)
Licence: Lichfield District Council granted list, 25/00117/ANIMAL, Dog Boarding – Kennels, 5 star. The site quotes an older reference (19/00415/ANIMAL) and says it is five star rated by Lichfield District Council; we have used the register number.
Dog boarding kennels and canine care
Website · View on Google Maps
The Grove Luxury Dog Boarding
★★★★★ 4.7 · 152 Google reviews
Lichfield (WS13)
Licence: Lichfield District Council granted list, 25/00089/ANIMAL (listed as Grove Kennels Ltd), 5 star. Matched by name, place and website host; the site showed us a bot-verification page, so we could not read it.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
Fairway Boarding Kennels & Cattery
★★★★★ 4.5 · 145 Google reviews
Essington (WS3)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 25/00160/ACBRO, 3 star. No expiry date is published. The site blocks our tools, so we could not read it.
Dog boarding (also a cattery)
Website · View on Google Maps
Eardley Hall Kennels
★★★★★ 4.8 · 134 Google reviews
Bignall End (ST7)
Licence: Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council list, entry M/018747, Kennels, 3 star, expires 31 December 2026, so do ask about renewal. The site quotes the same number but does not name the council.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
Wood Farm Kennels
★★★★★ 4.6 · 120 Google reviews
Himley (DY3)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 25/00163/ADCBO, listed as Woodfarm Boarding Kennels and Cattery, 3 star. Matched by name and place; the site blocks our tools, so we could not read it.
Dog and cat boarding
Website · View on Google Maps
Holme From Home Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.7 · 117 Google reviews
Sugnall, near Eccleshall (ST21)
Licence: Stafford Borough Council eLicensing register, 93121, listed as Holmes From Home Kennels, Dogs in Kennels, 27 September 2023 to 15 January 2027, 5 star. Worth asking about renewal. Matched by name; the site shows a blank licence line.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
New Building Farm Boarding Kennels
★★★★★ 4.9 · 113 Google reviews
Hilderstone (ST15)
Licence: The site states it is licensed by Staffordshire Moorlands Council, 5 star, licence number ABO064. We could not read the Moorlands register, so we could not check it against a council entry; please confirm with the kennel.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
Square House Kennels
★★★★★ 4.5 · 96 Google reviews
Penkridge (ST19)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 26/0416/ADCBO (as published), 5 star. The site quotes an older reference (19/00064/ABEST); we have used the register number.
Dog and cat boarding
Website · View on Google Maps
Iverley Lodge – Kennels & Cattery
★★★★★ 4.6 · 84 Google reviews
Kinver (DY7)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 25/00044/ADCBO, 3 star. The site quotes the same number but does not name the council.
Dog and cat boarding
Website · View on Google Maps
Old Barn Kennels
★★★★★ 4.8 · 82 Google reviews
Blithbury, near Rugeley (WS15)
Licence: Lichfield District Council granted list, 26/00437/ANIMALL (as published), Dog Boarding – Kennels, 3 star. The site quotes an older reference (22/01042/ANIMAL); we have used the register number. Small and medium dogs only.
Dog boarding kennels
Website · View on Google Maps
Red Oaks Farm
★★★★★ 4.8 · 66 Google reviews
Shipley, near Wolverhampton (WV6)
Licence: South Staffordshire Council register (August 2026), 26/00024/ADCBO, 5 star. The site quotes the same number but does not name the council.
Dog and cat boarding; closed on Sundays
Website · View on Google Maps
Google Maps ratings and review counts were checked on 14 November 2026 and will change. Licence details come from the council registers as published on that date.
Listings we left out, and why
FM Boarding Kennels is not taking new clients at the moment. Greyhound Gap is a rescue charity rather than a boarding kennel. Several well-reviewed kennels have no website of their own, or only a Facebook page, so they could not be verified. A few others have too few Google reviews to judge fairly yet. Rescues, franchises and carer networks are not included, and neither are cat-only catteries or businesses outside Staffordshire. We could not read the Stoke-on-Trent register, and we did not read the Staffordshire Moorlands, East Staffordshire or Cannock Chase registers, so some good kennels there may be missing. One business, The Dog House near Tamworth, blocks our tools, so we have not assessed it.
Other options we could not licence-verify
These all have a website and at least eight Google reviews. The first seven have licence evidence but sit outside our 15-card cap, or carry a point to check. The rest we could not licence-verify.
Audley Lodge Luxury Boarding Kennels / Pet Hotel (4.8, 65 Google reviews), Audley (ST7), website. Newcastle-under-Lyme list entry M/018750, 5 star, expires 31 December 2027, and the site quotes the same number. It has the evidence but sits just outside our 15-card cap.
Leafields Dog Retreat (5.0, 56 Google reviews), near Uttoxeter (ST14), website. Licensed home boarding: Stafford register 116420, Home Boarding Dogs, to 11 February 2028, 5 star. The site quotes an older reference (M090127). Outside the 15-card cap.
Kozee Kennels (4.8, 50 Google reviews), Woodseaves (ST20), website. Stafford register 96901, to 24 February 2028, 5 star. The site links a licence document but gives no number in the text. Outside the 15-card cap.
Paws A While Dog Kennels & Cattery (4.0, 39 Google reviews), Weston Bank (ST18), website. Stafford register 26816, Dogs in Kennels, to 7 January 2028, 3 star. The site says only that it is fully licensed. Outside the 15-card cap.
K9 Ricks (5.0, 29 Google reviews), Kettlebrook, Tamworth (B77), website. Tamworth Borough Council register lists a dog boarder / day care entry, 2 star, renewal 25 May 2027. The site mentions overnight stays but states no licence. Also offers daycare: see our Staffordshire daycare guide.
Roundhill Boarding Kennels Limited (4.8, 23 Google reviews), Hammerwich (website). Lichfield list 25/00406/ANIMAL, 5 star, and the site quotes the same number. Strong evidence, but fewer reviews than our cards.
Monkey Tree Boarding Kennels (4.5, 15 Google reviews), Betley (CW3), website. Newcastle-under-Lyme list M/020772, 3 star, expires 31 May 2028. The site quotes a different number (M020722), so please check with the kennel.
Salthouse Pet Boarding (4.7, 171 Google reviews), Werrington (ST9), website. The site quotes SMDC/ABO106 and says it is five star rated by the licensing authority, but names no council, and we could not read the Staffordshire Moorlands register.
Ladyview Kennels (4.9, 96 Google reviews), Brown Edge (ST6), website. The licence is shown only as an image, so we could not confirm a number.
Edial Boarding Kennels & Cattery (4.5, 95 Google reviews), Burntwood (WS7), website. The site quotes a Lichfield District Council licence, but we could not find it on the Lichfield granted list we read, so please ask to see the current certificate.
Wren’s Mews, Kennels and Cattery (4.6, 72 Google reviews), Stoke-on-Trent (ST2), website. No licence statement on the site, and the Stoke-on-Trent register was not readable for us.
Home2Home4Dogs (5.0, 53 Google reviews), Stoke-on-Trent (ST3), website. Home boarding; we could not re-read the Stoke-on-Trent register to confirm the entry.
Lola’s House (5.0, 30 Google reviews), Burton upon Trent, website. Home boarding with a licence badge on the site, but no number we could check.
How to check a dog boarding licence in Staffordshire
Boarding is licensed by the district or borough council where the business operates, under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. We read the Lichfield granted list (undated, no expiry dates), the Tamworth council page (renewal dates), the South Staffordshire register (August 2026, no expiry dates), the Newcastle-under-Lyme list (expiry dates, undated) and the Stafford eLicensing register (start and end dates, read on 14 November 2026). Star ratings run from one to five. Ask any kennel to show you its current licence and rating.
What to ask before you book
Ask which vaccinations are needed, how often dogs are walked, whether they are checked overnight, who is on site, and what happens if your dog is unwell. A trial day or short stay is a good idea for nervous dogs. Visit if you can, and trust your instincts.
A little extra reassurance can help the first stay go smoothly. Many owners pack a familiar blanket and, if their dog is a worrier, look at something like Calmdogs Calming Bites from Calmshops as a complement to good routine. Speak to your vet first if you are unsure what suits your dog.
More for Staffordshire: dog daycare · all dog services · dog walkers · vets · kennel cough
Frequently asked questions
How did you choose these Staffordshire dog boarding kennels?
Every centre has its own website, a Google Maps listing with at least eight reviews, and licence evidence we could see: a council register entry, or a licence number on the site that names the issuing council. Where we matched a register entry by name and place, we say so on the card.
Does a dog boarding kennel need a licence in Staffordshire?
Yes. In England, dog boarding needs a licence from the local council under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. Staffordshire has several councils, so the kennel’s licence comes from the council it operates in.
What should I ask a boarding kennel before booking?
Ask to see the current licence and its star rating, what vaccinations are needed, how often dogs are walked and checked overnight, and what happens in an emergency. If your dog is anxious, ask for a trial visit first.
Why do some centres show a different licence number from the register?
Councils reissue licences when they are renewed, so a website can still quote an older reference. Where the two differ, we show the register number and note the older one on the card. It is always worth asking the kennel for its current certificate.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who prefers his holidays to be properly licensed.
