Provide and manage accommodation for animal boarding services

This standard is about the provision and maintenance of accommodation for animal boarding services. This could be in your own home or in business premises and includes day-boarding as well as overnight boarding. It covers the type of accommodation, hygiene and bio-security as well as monitoring the condition of animals in the accommodation.
Users of the standard will need to confirm that their practice reflects current information and policies, and that they work within the limits of their authority, expertise, training, competence and experience.
You will be expected to work in accordance with the relevant legislation and local policies relating to animal boarding.
Day-boarding is considered suitable for dogs, although careful consideration must be given to their suitability, taking account of their welfare, confidence, ability to mix with other dogs and health.
Home-boarding is not considered suitable for cats.
This standard is for those providing animal boarding services as home-boarding and day-boarding

1. Work professionally and ethically and within the limits of your authority, expertise, training, competence and experience.
2. Carry out your work in accordance with the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment requirements, associated codes of practice and organisational policies.
3. Carry out your work in accordance with the relevant animal health and welfare and animal-related legislation, associated codes of practice and organisational policies.
4. Assess the risks associated with the activity to be carried out.
5. Assess how the needs of animals may be provided for while under your duty of care.
6. Select and prepare accommodation to suit the animal and its needs.
7. Confirm that accommodation is clean and maintained in a good state of repair.
8. Confirm that the environmental conditions in the accommodation are suitable and can be adjusted to suit the animal’s requirements.
9. Check that the accommodation is correctly labelled with the animal’s details and that records are completed in accordance with the relevant legislation and organisational policy.
10. Restrict access to the accommodation according to the animal’s requirements and organisational procedures.
11. Provide the required care and monitor animals according to their requirements and the instructions of the owner.
12. Provide animals with stimulation and affection wherever possible.
13. Interact with the animal in a way that minimises stress and allows observation to be carried out.
14. Maintain the animal's welfare at all times and adapt the behaviour of yourself, and all those involved in your work, where necessary, to avoid creating undesirable behaviour in the animal.
15. Identify the behaviours of animals that may indicate welfare or other problems and take the necessary action.
16. Recognise when behaviour may indicate that the animal is not suited to boarding.
17. Maintain the security of the animals to protect them from injury, theft or escape.
18. Deal with waste in accordance with the relevant legislation and organisational policies.
19. Maintain communication with colleagues and all those involved in, or affected by, your work, and seek professional advice when necessary.
20. Confirm that records are maintained and stored as required by the relevant legislation and organisational policy.

1. Your professional responsibilities when providing and maintaining animal boarding services and the limits of your authority, expertise, training, competence and experience.
2. Your legal and professional liability when providing animal boarding services in your own premises and the importance of suitable insurance.
3. Your responsibilities under the relevant environmental and health and safety legislation, risk assessment requirements, associated codes of practice and organisational policies.
4. How to identify hazards, assess risks and complete risk assessments, where required, that are relevant to the activity.
5. The importance of maintaining hygiene and bio-security and the methods for achieving this.
6. The type of clothing and personal protective equipment (PPE) suitable for the activity.
7. How the needs of animals under your duty of care may be assessed and addressed.
8. What type of accommodation is suitable for the animals in your care and how to select and prepare accommodation and the factors that should be considered.
9. The suitable environmental conditions for the animals in your care and how these can be adjusted.
10. How to select and use cleaning methods and materials that are suitable for the accommodation, the animals and their requirements.
11. The procedure for rectifying any damage to accommodation.
12. The types of bedding that should be provided for the animals in your care.
13. The dietary and feeding requirements needed by the animals in your care.
14. The toileting requirements for animals in your care.
15. What is meant by the term “enrichment” and how it may be provided for the animals in your care.
16. How to maintain the safety and security of the animals’ accommodation and who is authorised to access the animal accommodation.
17. How and when animals should be monitored, and how animals’ requirements influence such monitoring.
18. The different types and level of care normally provided to animals in accommodation.
19. The indications that animals might be having problems and the action that should be taken.
20. How to recognise the behavioural and emotional states of animals including fear, aggression, appeasement, anxiety, play and relaxation and when this might indicate the animal is not suited to boarding.
21. How your actions, or the actions of all those involved in animal boarding, may affect the behaviour and welfare of the animal.
22. How to minimise stress in boarding animals.
23. How and when to stimulate animals and how different animals may respond.
24. How to handle, transport, store and dispose of different types of waste in accordance with relevant legal requirements and organisational practices.
25. The records that need to be kept in relation to animal boarding and the importance of completing them in accordance with relevant legislation and organisational policy.

Accommodation to suit the animal and its needs must take into account the following factors:

1. Species
2. Breed and/or size of animal
3. Age
4. Health
5. Feeding requirements
6. Length of stay
7. Other animals
8. Handling and exercise requirements
9. Temperament
10. Bedding
11. Enrichment
12. Toileting needs
13. Privacy
14. Safety
15. Security
16. Medical or other special needs

Animal's requirements include:

1. Behaviour
2. Food and fluid intake
3. Toileting
4. Interactions with people and other animals
5. Grooming

Current animal welfare legislation:

• England and Wales, Animal Welfare Act
• Scotland, Animal Health and Welfare Act
• Northern Ireland, Welfare of Animals Act (Northern Ireland)

Environmental conditions:

• Light
• Temperature
• Humidity
• Ventilation
• Noise
• Vibrations