Boarding a diabetic dog or cat: questions to ask

Quick answer

Ask the boarder to explain, in plain words, how they would look after a diabetic pet, and get the answers in writing before you book. What matters is that someone competent gives the injection and the meal on time, writes it down, and knows which vet to call. Your vet decides what the plan is. The boarder carries it out.

If you are comparing boarding with other options, read leaving a diabetic pet with a sitter first.

Is the boarder licensed?

In England, anyone who boards cats or dogs as a business needs a licence from their local council. Defra's guidance on the licence conditions says a copy of the licence must be clearly and prominently displayed at the premises, and the licence holder's name and number must appear on any website they use. Premises that meet higher standards can earn a 4 or 5 star rating, which qualifies them for a longer licence.

In Wales, a boarding kennel or cattery also needs a licence from the local authority. Scottish Government guidance points boarding to the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963. In Scotland and Northern Ireland, ask your local council whether the boarder holds a licence.

A licence is a starting point. It does not tell you whether this boarder is right for a diabetic pet.

What Defra's conditions cover that matters to you

For England, Defra's guidance notes for boarding kennels and catteries set out conditions that apply to licensed boarders. These are worth asking about:

• A register for every animal. It must include the owner's contact and emergency details, your normal vet and any insurance, medical history, and details of any medical treatment the animal is receiving.
• A written emergency plan. It must cover fire and the failure of essential systems, and say how animals would be moved if the premises became unusable.
• A registered vet. The boarder must be registered with a vet, whose details, including an out-of-hours number, are available to all staff. Written consent from you on which vet to use is expected when your pet is first placed.
• Prompt veterinary attention. Sick or injured animals must receive it.
• Medicines. Prescribed medicines must be stored securely and used as the vet directs. The cat guidance adds that a fridge should be provided where medicines need one.

The guidance notes we checked are Version 1.1 from October 2018, hosted by councils, so ask the boarder or your council whether anything has changed.

Questions to ask before you book

Ask these on the phone or in an email, and note the answers.

• Have you looked after a diabetic dog or cat before? How many, and how recently?
• Who will give the injection, and have they done it before? Will you let me show them first?
• Will someone be there at both injection times and mealtimes, every day, including weekends?
• Where will the insulin be kept, and is there a fridge?
• Will you feed my pet's usual food, in the usual amounts, at the times on my sheet?
• How do you record what each animal was given and when? Can I see a sample?
• If my pet refuses a meal or seems unwell, who do you call first, and how quickly? (The sheet should say to call your vet before giving insulin. See what to do when a diabetic pet will not eat.)
• Which vet will you use, and how far away are they? Is there an out-of-hours number?
• Who can agree treatment, and how will you reach me if I am abroad or out of signal?
• Do you ask for my insurance details, and what do you need from me for a claim?
• Can I see where my pet will sleep and eat?

Red flags in the answers

These are about service, not about clinical care:

• Vague answers about who gives the injection, or "someone will sort it".
• Reluctance to show you the licence, the premises, or a sample record.
• No written record of what was given and when.
• No named vet, or no way to reach you.
• Asking you to change your pet's routine to suit staff rotas. Check with your vet before agreeing to any change.

If you are uneasy after the call, trust that and look elsewhere.

Run a trial stay

Book a short stay, or a day visit that includes a meal and an injection, before the real thing. You will see how the boarder works and how your pet copes. Ask your vet whether they want anything covered or reviewed beforehand. If you are not comfortable by the end of the trial, find another option.

What to hand over

Write it down, from your vet's instructions and not from memory:

• Your pet's name, age and your vet's name and out-of-hours number.
• Your own phone number, and a second contact who can be reached.
• The insulin, with the dose and times exactly as your vet has prescribed, and how to store it.
• Food, amounts and times.
• What your vet has told you to do if your pet refuses food, copied from your vet's own instructions.
• Who can authorise treatment.

The travel and sitter checklist has a printable version, and the sitter guide has a handover sheet. If your pet is insured, the questions to ask an insurer include what the policy needs if your pet is treated while you are away.

How Mello helps

With Mello, everyone who looks after your pet can record what they gave and when, so the next person can see it. Inviting another carer with Shared Care is part of Premium (GBP 7.99 a month or GBP 59.99 a year). Mello is free forever for logging and the Emergency Card. You can join the early-access list to hear when it is ready for you.

Sources

The pages below were each opened and checked on 30 October 2026 before being listed here, and anything that could not be opened was left off rather than guessed at.

• Guidance notes for conditions for providing boarding for cats: Defra, Version 1.1, October 2018, hosted by Cambridge City Council, accessed 30 October 2026. The licence display rule, the register, the written emergency plan, the registered vet, prompt veterinary attention, medicines, the fridge guidance, and star ratings. Applies to England.
• Guidance notes for conditions for providing boarding in kennels for dogs: Defra, Version 1.1, October 2018, hosted by Hull City Council, accessed 30 October 2026. The matching dog conditions for the register, emergency plan, registered vet, medicines and licence display. Applies to England.
• Animal boarding establishments licence: Flintshire County Council, accessed 30 October 2026. That running a boarding kennel or cattery in Wales needs a licence from the local authority.
• Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (Scotland) Regulations 2021: guidance: Scottish Government, published 15 December 2021, accessed 30 October 2026. That these regulations exclude activity needing a licence under the Animal Boarding Establishments Act 1963.