Pet Sitting & Boarding in Ontario

A professional sitter or boarder has your vet's details, written authority to seek treatment up to an agreed limit, insurance, and an emergency contact plan. Confirm all of this in writing before you travel — verbal assurances aren't enough.

Reputable boarders require up-to-date core vaccinations and usually kennel cough (bordetella) for dogs, with proof before arrival. If a facility doesn't ask for vaccination records, that's a red flag about the health of the other animals there.

Ask about insurance, licensing where it applies, how many animals they take, their emergency-vet plan, whether dogs are ever left unsupervised, vaccination requirements, and ask for references or reviews. A meet-and-greet before booking is standard.

Doggy daycare is a per-day rate, kennel/boarding is per night, and in-home overnight sitting costs the most because the sitter stays with or visits your pet. Prices rise for larger dogs, multiple pets, holidays and special-needs animals.

It's less stressful for many pets and keeps them in a familiar environment, but 'safer' depends on the person — an insured, referenced in-home sitter beats a poor kennel, and a well-run licensed kennel beats an unvetted stranger. Judge the individual, not just the format.

It varies. Some countries license home boarding, daycare and commercial kennels with inspections and star ratings; elsewhere it's unregulated and insurance plus references are the trust signal. Always check what applies where you live before assuming a sitter is vetted.

Kennel boarding typically runs CAD 35-75 a night, in-home overnight sitting CAD 55-150, and daycare CAD 30-55 a day, with holiday premiums.