Guide · UK sources · checked 5 October 2026

Going away: boarding, sitters, holidays and hot weather.

A dog changes how you holiday and how you cope with a hot day. Here is what UK charities and government pages say about care while you are away and travelling with a dog.

Who looks after the dog

The RSPCA lists friends or family, a sitter who stays at your home, or a boarding facility as the main options, and notes that friends or family are often best because the dog stays in familiar surroundings, although the individual dog may prefer its own home or the carer’s home. Whoever you choose, give them the routine, feeding, any medication and your vet and emergency contact details.

Boarding kennels, home boarding and day care in England

In England, Defra’s statutory guidance for councils covers licensing of boarding kennels, home boarding for dogs and dog day care. It sets expectations such as current core vaccinations (and a kennel cough vaccine may be required), separate isolation for sick dogs, written emergency plans, and detailed records of each dog. These are standards for local authorities rather than a consumer checklist, and the pages do not describe Scotland, Wales or Northern Ireland.

The RSPCA suggests looking for a suitable space where the dog can stand, sit and stretch, daily exercise, behaviour monitoring and records; for day care, a pre-assessment and a retreat space.
For professional sitters, the RSPCA suggests checking references and insurance for emergencies. For boarding, check a current licence where one is needed and vaccination requirements.
Editorial note: visit first, ask to see any licence, and ask about vaccinations and what happens in an emergency. A trade-body membership is not the same as a licence.

Holidays in the UK

The RSPCA advises checking the accommodation really suits a dog, knowing the nearest emergency vet, using a carrier or suitable restraint in the car with water and regular breaks, telling staff on trains that you have a live animal, checking a ferry company’s rules first, and wearing a collar tag with your name and holiday address and contact details. Our car travel guide covers restraint.

Taking a dog to the EU from Great Britain

GOV.UK sets out the steps: the dog must be microchipped before or at the same time as the rabies vaccination, then there is a waiting period, and an animal health certificate from a vet is needed for EU travel; some countries require tapeworm treatment. The rules change and differ by country and route, so checkGOV.UK before every trip ↗and start well ahead. Check the requirements for returning to Great Britain too; this summary does not cover every destination or route.

Hot weather

Dogs cool mainly by panting, so they overheat easily (Dogs Trust). Dogs Trust lists signs of heatstroke including heavy panting, drowsiness, stiffness, difficulty breathing, drooling, vomiting and collapse, and says it can happen even on mild days.
Never leave a dog in a car, caravan, conservatory or outbuilding in warm weather, even for a short time. Dogs Trust says a dog can die in a hot car within minutes and that opening a window does not fix this; it advises calling 999 for a distressed dog in a car.
Walk in the cooler parts of the day and check pavements with your hand, because hot surfaces can burn paws (Dogs Trust).
Treat suspected heatstroke as an emergency: cool first, transport second; call a vet urgently (Dogs Trust, RSPCA).

Sources

Limits: licensing details are for England; RSPCA pages are undated. Travel rules change, so follow GOV.UK. This is general information, not veterinary advice, and no kennel, sitter or travel firm is recommended. Nothing here changes breed matching.

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