Vaccinations, licences and what to ask in Eastbourne

Eight dog boarders, day cares and kennels are listed for Eastbourne, and every one of them needs a licence to operate in England under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. Two councils issue those licences here: Lewes & Eastbourne Councils, covering the Eastbourne centre, Hampden Park, Langney and Seaford areas, and Wealden District Council, covering Pevensey, Polegate and Hailsham. This guide sets out what to ask before you book, rather than answering it for you.

Vaccinations

Every boarder, kennels and day care here sets its own vaccination policy, so ask what it requires and how long before a stay it needs to see proof, rather than assuming a single rule covers the whole town. Practice on kennel cough cover varies from business to business too, so raise it directly when you call rather than assuming either way.

Licences

Seven of the eight businesses listed for Eastbourne carry a licence confirmed against a council register: three under Lewes & Eastbourne Councils and four under Wealden District Council. Both councils' own published registers blocked an automated visit, so both were read only through the animal-licensing.uk mirror site, which gives a licence number and expiry for each business above but not an address, and this directory does not show a star rating for either council as a result. See our council licences guide for why. Eastbourne Doggy Daycare's own site states it holds a Wealden licence, but this could not be matched against the register read for this town, so its licence claim is shown as unconfirmed rather than as a licence fact.

Breed policies and insurance

A boarder, kennels or day care is entitled to ask about a dog's breed and set its own conditions, including for an XL Bully with a valid exemption certificate, so ask directly rather than assuming either way. None of the businesses listed for Eastbourne state a public liability insurance position on their own site that this directory could check, so ask any of them to show evidence if it matters to your decision; Roskosh has no way to verify an insurance policy independently.

Questions to ask before you book

• Which council licensed you, and can I see the certificate or licence number?
• What vaccinations do you need before the stay, and how far in advance?
• Do you have a policy on kennel cough cover?
• Do you have any breed policies I should know about, including for an XL Bully?
• Do you say you hold public liability insurance, and can I see evidence of it?
• How many other dogs will be with mine at the same time, and are they from one household or several?
• What happens if my dog needs a vet while in your care, and who decides that?

What a licence actually covers

Wherever it is confirmed, a licence covers premises or home standards, record-keeping and how many dogs a business may keep at once; it does not fix a price, promise a particular room, or guarantee a certain group size, so ask those separately even once the licence itself checks out. Active Animal Pet Care's own licence is current even though its contact page currently says it is not taking new dogs, so a current licence is not the same question as current availability.