Pet Sitting & Boarding in Dublin

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.

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.

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.

In Dublin, kennel boarding sits around the national per-night rate, home boarding with a sitter is a little higher, and holiday periods add a premium. Multiple pets and medication needs push the price up.

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.

Kennels house your pet in a licensed facility with other animals; home boarding places them in a sitter's own home; a live-in or drop-in sitter keeps your pet in your house. Anxious, elderly or unsocial pets usually do better at home; sociable dogs often enjoy a good kennel or daycare.

Kennel boarding typically runs €20-€45 a night, in-home overnight sitting €30-€65, and daycare €18-€35 a day.