We looked at the Derry and Strabane listings that offer dog daycare, and none passed our test: its own website, a Google Maps listing and a licence we could actually see. 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, and the rules for day-only care in Northern Ireland are less clear than in England, so ask to see a licence before you book.
Dog daycare centres we could verify in Derry and Strabane
None yet. We couldn’t find a public register of licensed boarding premises for Derry City and Strabane District Council’s area, and none of the centres in the section below quotes a licence number on its own site (one says it is licensed by DAERA, but gives no number). 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
Top Dog NI (4.8 from 47, Cavancreagh Road, Donemana) is listed as a dog day care centre on Google Maps and has its own website, but the site we read lists only boarding and grooming, with no daycare and no licence statement, and our earlier Strabane sitters and groomers guide describes it as a mobile groomer. Premier Paws (5.0 from 11, Springtown) links only a booking page, not its own website. Pup In & Play (5.0 from 5, Victoria Road, Strabane) has its own website and says it offers day care, but it has only five reviews and the pages we read state no licence. Doggie Day Care and Dog Park (1 review, Campsie) and Tatty Paws (4.9 from 11, Dublin Road Industrial Estate, Strabane) show no website on Google Maps. Greenacres Kennels & Cattery near Strabane (4.7 from 61) has its own website, but it lists boarding rates only, with no day care and no licence statement. Kee Kennels & Cattery (4.8 from 26) is a boarding kennel with no website on Google Maps. Sheskin Kennels & Cattery (4.9 from 46) has a website that blocks automated readers, so we couldn’t read what it says about daycare or licences. Rover also lists home sitters in Derry, but its page would not load for us, 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
These Derry and Strabane centres offer daycare and have their own website and a Google Maps listing, but we could not see a licence number or an official record, so we do not recommend them as verified. Ratings are from Google Maps on 12 November 2026. We have not visited them. Ask each for its licence, who issued it and its expiry date before booking.
Ballypaw Kennels & Cattery
★★★★★ 4.9 · 49 Google reviews
96 Berryhill Road, Strabane (BT82 0HP). Its website has a Cat & Dog Daycare page but shows no daycare hours or prices on the pages we read. It says it is ‘Licensed by DAERA and fully insured’, but gives no licence number
Website · View on Google Maps
Furbabies
★★★★★ 5.0 · 39 Google reviews
165 Learmount Road, Derry. Listed on Google Maps as a dog day care centre. Its website blocks automated readers, so we could not read its hours, prices or any licence statement
Website · View on Google Maps
For The Love Of Dawgs
★★★★★ 4.6 · 30 Google reviews
Highmoor Road, Eglinton, Derry (its website gives only the Eglinton area). Daycare at £12 a day, dropped off from 7am and collected by 5.30pm, per its website, with places depending on how busy boarding is. No licence statement on the pages we read
Website · View on Google Maps
How to check a daycare licence in Derry and Strabane
Northern Ireland has its own rules, and the England daycare licensing regulations do not apply. The Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, Part II, says nobody may keep an animal boarding establishment without a licence granted by ‘the Ministry’, and defines one as a business providing accommodation for other people’s cats or dogs in return for payment (legislation.gov.uk, read 12 November 2026). DAERA’s own page says it licenses boarding kennels, and GOV.UK’s licence finder sends applicants to DAERA. None of those pages mentions day care, so we can’t tell you whether a day-only centre needs a licence. We also found no public register of licensed centres. The Derry City and Strabane District Council pages we read cover dog breeding, not boarding or daycare, though its Dog Control Team (02871 253253) may be able to point you to the right office. Ask DAERA directly, and ask the centre what licence it holds, who issued it and when it expires. Also 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 Derry and Strabane: our Derry and Strabane dog services hub, dog walkers in Derry and Strabane if you only need a midday walk, vets in Derry and Strabane, dog trainers in Derry and Strabane and secure dog fields in Derry and Strabane.
Frequently Asked Questions
How did you choose which Derry and Strabane 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 or DAERA record or quoted by number on its site. None of the centres we checked met all three on 12 November 2026, so we list none as verified. Three that offer daycare and have a website and a good number of reviews are 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 Derry and Strabane?
In Northern Ireland, boarding kennels are licensed under the Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland) 1972, and DAERA says it licenses them. The pages we read don’t mention day care, so we can’t say whether day-only care needs a licence. Ask DAERA, and ask the centre what it holds.
What should I ask a dog daycare centre?
Ask what licence it holds, who issued it and when it expires, 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 Derry and Strabane centres listed as verified?
Some centres have a website and good reviews but show no licence number, and we found no public licence register for the area. We do not list them as verified, but three are in the ‘Other options we could not licence-verify’ section. Ask any centre directly, or contact DAERA.
Written by Georgiana & Figo, who prefers his playdates to be properly licensed.
