Insurance for boarding kennels.

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Patches

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Hi all.

Can anyone with experience of running such a facility give me a rough idea of how much an annual premium will be for a small boarding kennel facility?

I can't seem to find an instant online quote, only where a company will call you back. As it's just an "idea" I'm banding about, and I don't have a specific plan as yet, I'm a little loathe to ask for a quote over the phone.

I'm guessing my main concern is that it would probably cost me as much to insure for only a handful of kennels as it would for a large facility? It would mean the revenue return is going to be less. Need to decide if it's viable.

Obviously I know I'd need liability and loss/theft/straying, death of animal, care and control responsibility, damage to facilities etc but do I also have to cover vet fees? I suppose I do if the dog is injured as a result of my negligence...or is that covered by the liability part?

GAH! Mine field. If it's hundreds and hundreds of pounds, or worse for example, it may make it non-viable.

The idea is for 5 kennels and runs, access to a securely fenced garden for "play time" and "free" running as well as long line walks across farm land. I don't intend to let dogs off over the fields (unless I got to know them over the years and it was deemed very safe to do so, but I can't see me wanting to risk it). I will not be taking dogs on the roads, but we do have footpaths running through some of our fields so there is a potential for other dogs to roam on to the land and approach boarding dogs (although I have never experienced another dog approaching mine in 10 years....can't rule it out eh?)
 
Kennels insurance won't cover the dogs for off the premises or if you let them together.
Liability and vets fees are separate.
Pet plan premiums now are probably around the £500 mark for 5 kennels.

I changed to care & control cover when my premiums hit over £100 a month. many pets have insurance which applies if you are licenced.
In 20 years with a 56 animal license I've only had a handful of claims and most were pre-existant conditions which the owners hadn't noticed - eg cloudy urine.

Damage to facilities is another issue and hard to claim for as the premises should be dog proof.
 
I thought that, about the premises. I noticed it was one of the things listed on the Pet Plan site, property damage.

Do you mean it won't cover me taking the dogs for a walk in our own fields, only whilst they are housed in the kennels?

Do you only have care and control now then, is that what you're saying? I'll have to look into it as I won't have animals in all the time, especially when starting up, so I'd need to decide if I had a real market for it before I spent £500 on insurance that might not be utilised if it doesn't work out properly. :eek:
 
Im covered fr everything, vet, fees, full liability, off lead exercise (as long as permission is given by owner) Im covered for 6 at a time, I home boar so may have different regs.
 
You missed the all important jaw dropping cost of your premium! LOL

I would quite like to home board, but hubby is worried about dogs chewing the furniture etc.
 
I have to say patches in the 10 years I have homeboarded I have never had any destruction, and the ones that have had any issues pups or dogs I have been pre warned have chewed have come with thier crate, so I place them in when I go out, I have 2 shpherds in now and they both have a bed in the kitchen and they are good as gold with my dogs, cats and when left, most of my boarders are the same.
I pay £325 a year for my insurance and £50 to the local authority for a licence, it also covers my or OH's dog walking as well as the home boarding.
 
That sounds very do-able Cayla.

I don't have room in the house really for lots of crates, so was wondering about the ethics of having a few kennels and runs (which would be three at the most as I'd do the same with Harvey if I was boarding just two dogs) so I could pop the dogs in them during the day if I went out to ride the horse/bike etc?

Would that be allowed? I guess some owners would be understandably cynical that I might just leave dogs in kennels all the time, but our house is set up with so much antique farmhouse furniture that crates are a bit big to have around, especially if I had two dogs in. I already have a crate for Harvey pups.

I'm fine with dogs that don't chew though, of course. If you're home boarding, do you have the same regulations to adhere to as boarding kennels do?
 
I have a dog room, it used to be my garage:rolleyes: it now looks like a kitchen, fitted untis, tiled floor, large beds and a few crates for dogs that need them and a large run on the side for quick wees and poo's, otherwise they get walked.

Owners will be fine with kennels aslong as u make it clear they will be in kennels.
Home boarding regs are alot more lax than kennels, there are no where near the same regs.
 
I like the sound of alot more lax...largely because I don't want to go into it as a big venture, from an outlay point of view, initially.

IF it became more successful and I wanted to fully diversify into a larger facility on the farm, then I would go the whole hog and obviously want to be fully licensed with that as well.

Right now I want something low key that will earn me a little bit of pocket money doing something I'd enjoy.

I was thinking, if it's allowed, that I could just put the little block of kennels/runs on my garden, so as the owners would know that it's still a very "family" orientated idea and the dogs were not going to be out of sight and ignored.

The garden is very secure and big enough for lots of playtimes when they're not being walked.
 
It may be best to go down the home board route and see how you go, advertise for small dogs only, someone near me stick to small, I have a yearly check from environamtal health and I fill in a form, off my head it asks things like.

Heat supply
Ventilation
Food prep area and storage
Removal of faeces
Means of laundering beds
Water supply

Obs most of the answers are as supplied in my home:D
 
Thanks Cayla. It's definitely given me something to think about.

I have a friend who has already told me she'd board her two dogs with me when she goes away at weekends.....which is quite often...and so that she could go away for longer.

I've another friend who might be interested too and a couple of parents at the school.

Seems alot of people like the idea of home boarding. I think small/medium dogs would be a good idea, especially as I do have children in the house. Apparently it's seen as a more "expensive" option too, from what little I've gleamed off the net, as it's more of a personal service than *some* kennels offer.

Any dog I boarded would have to be ok with other dogs, as of course I do have Harvey.
 
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