The Ultimate Pre-Holiday Checklist for Pet Owners

The flights are booked. The car is half packed. And the kennels you had in mind have been full since March.

August is the busiest month of the year for UK boarding kennels and catteries, and most of the panic that comes with it is a timing problem rather than a money problem. Vaccination dates that don’t quite line up. A booking made six weeks out when the good places filled six months out. A bag packed with things the kennel already provides, missing the one document they need.

Here is the checklist, working backwards from the day you leave.

Planning a summer trip and thinking about boarding?

Check availability at Hunters Lodge

Book the Boarding Before You Book the Holiday

Boarding kennels and catteries have fixed capacity and no way to add more. At Hunters Lodge, peak dates in our dog kennels and cattery are sometimes booked nine to twelve months in advance, and July or August dates not secured by around March can be difficult to accommodate. Easter, October half term and Christmas fill up just as early.

This is the thing most pet owners get wrong. The holiday gets booked, pet care gets sorted afterwards, and by then the choice has narrowed to whoever still has space rather than whoever is right for your dog or cat.

If your dates are fixed and you’re already inside that window, ring rather than fill in a form. Cancellations happen, and a call is the fastest way to find out.

Your Countdown, From Twelve Months to Departure Day

Vaccinations, and the Six-Week Rule People Miss

Every licensed boarding facility in the UK needs proof of current vaccination before your pet can stay. Hunters Lodge asks that dog and cat vaccinations be up to date, in line with veterinary recommendations, and that no additional boarding vaccines are required. Kennel cough isn’t insisted upon, but if you choose to have it done, it must be at least six weeks before the first day of your booking.

That gap catches people out every summer. A kennel cough jab booked for the week before departure doesn’t clear your dog for boarding; it rules them out of it.

One more date to check. Look at when the booster expires against your return date, not your departure date. A certificate that runs out mid-stay is still a certificate that runs out.

If your pet is older, on regular medication, or hasn’t seen a vet in a while, book a health check about 4 weeks in advance. That leaves time to sort anything the vet picks up.

What to Pack, and What You Can Leave at Home

Most boarding checklists online are longer than they need to be. Hunters Lodge provides beds, vet bed bedding and all feed and water bowls, and bedding is washed and replaced daily at no extra charge. The bag is smaller than people expect.

Worth bringing

• The vaccination certificate, if you haven’t emailed it already
• Enough of their usual food for the whole stay plus two or three spare days. A change of diet mid-stay is the most common cause of an upset stomach
• Medication in its original packaging, with written instructions
• A worn t-shirt or a favourite toy, clearly named
• A slow feeder or specific bowl, if your dog is fussy about materials
• Feeding notes, emergency numbers and your vet’s details

Usually not needed

• Bedding. Facilities wash and replace their own daily, and after a muddy field day, owner bedding rarely goes home in the state it arrived
• Bowls, unless yours is one your dog specifically needs
• A large bag of treats
• Anything valuable, and anything unnamed

What Your Boarding Team Actually Needs to Know

The paperwork matters less than the conversation. Tell the team how your dog is around other dogs, whether they can be walked off the lead, when an unspayed dog was last in season, any allergies, and anything that has changed since the last stay.

Be straight about health conditions when you book, not on arrival. Hunters Lodge administers routine medication and supplements at no extra charge and caters for special diets, but cannot look after pets with life-threatening conditions such as diabetes or epilepsy. Better to raise it early than on the doorstep.

Leave a registered vet on file, plus an emergency contact who can decide if you’re unreachable abroad.

Getting Your Pet Ready, Not Just Their Bag

A visit beforehand does more for a nervous owner than almost anything else, and it helps the pet too. New customers can look around Hunters Lodge Monday to Saturday, 11:00 to 11:45, no appointment needed.

In the final week, keep everything as normal as you can. Same walks, same feeding times, same routine. Pets pick up on suitcases quickly, and a week of odd behaviour beforehand makes the stay itself harder.

On the day, keep the handover short and calm. A long, anxious goodbye tells your dog something is wrong. Most dogs settle within a day or two, and for dogs prone to separation anxiety, a couple of day care sessions beforehand help enormously.

Cats need a different approach. Our cattery checklist covers what to bring and how to keep the carrier journey calm.

Still deciding whether to take them with you?

Read our guide to travelling with pets by car before you commit to the back seat.

Booking Your Pet’s Summer Stay at Hunters Lodge

We’re a family-run boarding kennels and cattery set in 20 acres of countryside at Stoke Goldington, looking after pets from Northampton, Milton Keynes and across Buckinghamshire for over 40 years. Licensed by South Northants Council.

• Dog Boarding Kennels. Heated kennels with individual outdoor runs, room for up to six dogs from one family, and luxury kennels with underfloor heating
• The Cattery. Chalet-style rooms with heated beds, private gardens and daily one-to-one attention
• VIP Dog Rooms. Limited availability, and the first to go in summer
• Doggy Day Care. Secure paddocks and log cabins, useful for settling a dog in before a longer stay

One practical note on peak dates. July, August, Christmas and school holiday bookings are payable in full at the time of booking and are non-refundable, so check whether your pet or travel insurance covers kennel fees if plans change. Many policies do.

Call 01604 870330 or send us a message to check availability for your dates.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How far in advance should I book boarding kennels in the UK?

Book summer, Christmas and school holiday dates as early as you can. Hunters Lodge takes peak bookings nine to twelve months ahead, and July or August dates left until after March are often hard to fill. Off-peak term time dates need far less notice.

2. Does my dog need a kennel cough vaccination for boarding?

Hunters Lodge does not insist on a kennel cough vaccination. If you do choose to have your dog vaccinated against it, the jab must be given at least six weeks before the first day of the booking. Core dog and cat vaccinations must be up to date in line with veterinary recommendation, with the certificate provided.

3. What do I need to bring when my pet goes into boarding?

Bring the vaccination certificate, enough of your pet’s usual food for the whole stay, any medication with written instructions, and your vet and emergency contact details. Beds, bedding and bowls are provided at Hunters Lodge. Label anything you bring with your pet’s name.

4. Is it better to take my pet on holiday or use boarding?

It depends on the pet. Some dogs travel well, while most cats find journeys stressful and settle better somewhere calm and familiar. On long summer trips, the logistics of heat, stops and pet-friendly accommodation often make boarding the more relaxed choice for everyone.