We looked at the Edinburgh listings that offer dog daycare, and none passed our test: its own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we could actually see, either on a council record or quoted by number on the centre’s site. That doesn’t mean they are 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 daycare centres we could verify in Edinburgh
None yet. The council’s licensing registers page links a spreadsheet of animal boarding licences, but our reader couldn’t open it, and none of the centres below quotes a licence number on its own site. Ratings and review counts on this page are from Google Maps on 12 November 2026 and come from the public. We haven’t checked them independently.
Listings we left out, and why
Barklay Park Dog Day Care Centre (4.7 from 142) says on its website that it is “fully licensed and audited annually”, with no number or council. Its address is Todhills Business Park, near Dalkeith, shown as Edinburgh EH22 1RR, but Dalkeith is in Midlothian, so ask which council licenses it. Hound Around Day Care (4.7 from 68, The Wisp) and Liberton doggy daycare (5.0 from 9) have websites that block automated readers, and Winstons Doggy Day Care in Leith (4.6 from 30) showed a verification screen, so we couldn’t read what they say about licences. Huckleberry Adventure Days (5.0 from 34) describes six-hour adventure days with transport and mentions insurance, but states no licence. Bark n Fly in Kirkliston (4.3 from 114) lists day care, but its website shows no licence and says it was temporarily closed for refurbishment, reopening in mid 2025, so we can’t tell whether it is trading. Porta Pups Dog Crèche at Ocean Terminal (4.8 from 41) only has a shopping-centre page, with no licence stated. Kamals Doggy DayCare (6 reviews) shows no website on Google Maps, and Dogtastic (4.9 from 24) and ORLAGHS (2 reviews) had no website we could find. Sal’s Pals, Station View Boarding Kennels, Scenter Barcs and Alicia’s House of Paws appear in the same searches, but their addresses are in West Lothian or Midlothian, so they belong in those guides. Rover lists 20 home sitters offering daycare in Edinburgh. They are home sitters rather than centres, the highest review count we saw was 45, and none states a licence, so 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
This Edinburgh centre offers daycare 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 12 November 2026. We have not visited it. Ask for its licence, who issued it and its expiry date before booking.
Citidogs Creche
★★★★☆ 4.4 · 91 Google reviews
Swanston Farm, Swanston Road, Edinburgh (EH10 7DS). Its website calls it a “Council Licenced and fully insured Dog Daycare” but names no council and gives no licence number or expiry date
Creche hours Monday to Friday, 7am to 6pm, per its website. No prices on the page we read
Website · View on Google Maps
How to check a daycare licence in Edinburgh
In Scotland, dog boarding is licensed by the local council under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963, and councils differ in how they treat daycare. The City of Edinburgh Council’s animal boarding establishment licence page (read 12 November 2026) says you need a licence to run a boarding kennel or cattery, or to provide home boarding or dog day care, and that the licence sets the number of dogs and other conditions. The page doesn’t mention a public register. The council’s licensing registers page links an animal boarding spreadsheet, but it wouldn’t open in our reader, so we haven’t checked any centre against it. To check a centre, ask it to show its licence and expiry date, or email the council’s licensing team at licensing@edinburgh.gov.uk. Then ask how many dogs it takes at once, how dogs are separated, and what happens if your dog needs a vet.
A first day at daycare can be a lot for 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 Edinburgh: our Edinburgh dog services hub, dog walkers in Edinburgh if you only need a midday walk, vets in Edinburgh, dog trainers in Edinburgh and secure dog fields in Edinburgh.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you choose which Edinburgh dog daycare centres to list?
A centre is listed as verified only if it has its own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we can see, either on a council record or quoted by number on its site. None of the Edinburgh centres we checked met all three on 12 November 2026, so we list none as verified. One centre that offers daycare and has plenty of reviews is in a separate section, ‘Other options we could not licence-verify’. We haven’t visited any of them.
Does dog daycare need a licence in Edinburgh?
In Scotland, councils license boarding under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. The City of Edinburgh Council’s page says you need a licence to run a boarding kennel or cattery, or to provide home boarding or dog day care. Ask any centre to show its licence and expiry date.
What should I ask a dog daycare centre?
Ask to see the licence and its expiry date, how many dogs attend at once, how dogs are grouped, who is on site, and what happens if a dog is unwell.
Why are no Edinburgh centres listed as verified?
Several centres have good reviews, but none shows a licence number on its own website, and we could not open the council’s animal boarding spreadsheet to check names against it. We do not 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 playdates to be properly licensed.
