Starting a Pet Boarding Business in Australia: What You Need to Know

Why Boarding Is Booming

Pet boarding is one of the fastest-growing segments of Australia's pet services industry. The PIAA reports that spending on pet services (including boarding) has grown 30% since 2021, reaching $2.2 billion annually.

The short version

Boarding is growing, but the hard part isn't the kennels. It's zoning, your state's code of practice, overnight staffing and insurance. If your council won't approve animal boarding on your site, nothing else in this guide matters, so check that first. Everything after step one assumes you cleared step one.

The drivers are straightforward: 73% of Australian households own a pet (AMA 2025), Australians travel domestically and internationally more than ever, and the expectation for professional boarding care (rather than asking a neighbour) has grown dramatically.

But boarding is operationally different from grooming or daycare. Overnight responsibility for someone's pet comes with higher stakes, more regulation, and different economics.

Step 1: Check Zoning and Council Requirements

Before investing in a facility, check whether your intended location is zoned for animal boarding. This varies significantly by council area.

What you typically need:

• Zoning check: Contact your local council planning department to confirm that animal boarding is a permitted use in your zone
• Development Application (DA): Most councils require a formal DA for new boarding facilities, including plans for the building, outdoor areas, noise management, and parking
• Noise assessment: Councils are particularly sensitive to barking. You may need a professional noise assessment
• Neighbour notification: Your DA process will usually include notification of nearby residents

Important: This process can take 3-12 months depending on your council. Start early and expect delays. Engaging a town planner experienced in animal facilities can save significant time.

Step 2: Understand Your State's Code of Practice

Animal welfare standards for boarding are set at state level, and the form they take differs. Two worked examples, both verified against the regulator:

New South Wales. Animal Welfare Code of Practice No 5, made under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979, sets the standards for dogs and cats in animal boarding establishments. Establishments providing commercial boarding services must comply with it (dpird.nsw.gov.au). If you also groom or bathe, Code of Practice No 8 covers pet grooming establishments (dpird.nsw.gov.au).

Victoria. All boarding establishments must register as a Domestic Animal Business with the council of the municipality they operate in, and the Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments is mandatory for every registered Domestic Animal Business in that category (agriculture.vic.gov.au). Victoria is the most rule-bound state for this, so do not assume a NSW-shaped process will transfer.

Common requirements you will see across codes:

• Minimum housing sizes and enough space to stand, stretch, lie with limbs extended and move about
• Ventilation, lighting and temperature control
• Separate areas for dogs and cats
• Isolation facilities for animals suspected of infectious disease
• Proof of current vaccination before admission
• Daily health checks and access to veterinary care
• Record-keeping for every animal admitted
• Security, including lockable buildings and secure closing devices on each kennel

Do not generalise from either example. Contact your own state or territory animal welfare regulator for the code that binds you, and check whether your state also requires a business registration or licence on top of the welfare code.

Step 3: Design Your Facility

A boarding facility needs to balance animal welfare, operational efficiency, and client confidence.

Core areas to include:

• Individual kennels/suites: Sized to code, comfortable bedding, secure latching
• Outdoor runs or exercise areas: Secure fencing (1.8m+ height), separate areas for large and small dogs
• Indoor play areas: Weather-protected spaces for enrichment and socialisation
• Reception area: Where clients arrive, drop off, and pick up
• Food preparation area: Clean, separate from sleeping areas
• Isolation area: For pets showing signs of illness (required by most codes)
• Storage: For food, cleaning supplies, and client belongings
• Staff facilities: Rest area, bathroom, secure storage

Security is non-negotiable:

• Double-gate entry system (an airlock, so a dog can't bolt when a gate opens)
• CCTV covering all areas
• Secure perimeter fencing inspected regularly
• After-hours monitoring or on-site staff

Step 4: Staff for Overnight Care

Boarding is a 24/7 operation during peak periods. Unlike grooming (which starts and ends each day), boarding requires:

• Morning staff: Feeding, cleaning, exercising
• Daytime staff: Supervision, play groups, client check-ins/check-outs
• Evening staff: Dinner, settling, final exercise
• Overnight coverage: Either on-site staff or reliable monitoring systems

Staff-to-animal ratios vary by code, but a general guideline is 1 staff member per 10-15 dogs during active supervision. During overnight, monitoring systems (cameras, alarms) can supplement reduced staffing.

Step 5: Get the Right Insurance

Boarding carries higher insurance risk than most other pet services because you have overnight custody.

Minimum coverage:

• Public liability: $10-20 million
• Care, custody, and control: Covers injury to or death of animals in your care
• Professional indemnity: Covers claims of negligence in care provision
• Workers' compensation: mandatory once you have employees. Employers must get workers compensation insurance from an authorised insurer, and the laws vary in each state and territory (business.gov.au). Safe Work Australia lists the authority for each one (safeworkaustralia.gov.au).

The public liability and care, custody and control figures above are indicative market ranges, not regulated minimums. Your landlord, council or state code may set its own minimum, so check before you buy.

See our complete pet business insurance guide for details on each policy type and how to shop for coverage.

Step 6: Set Your Pricing

Boarding pricing needs to cover significantly higher overheads than grooming or daycare: facility maintenance, overnight staffing, food, bedding, and higher insurance costs.

Indicative Australian boarding rates. These are observed market ranges, not regulated or sourced figures, so treat them as a starting point and check what your own local competitors charge:

Peak period surcharges of $5-20 per night are common during Christmas, Easter, and school holidays.

Pricing considerations:

• Per-night vs per-24-hour-period: Per-night is simpler for clients to understand. Per-24-hour-period is fairer for your operations.
• Multi-pet discounts: 10-20% off second pet from the same family is standard
• Extended stay discounts: 5-10% for stays over 7 nights encourages longer bookings

Our boarding and daycare pricing guide covers pricing strategy in depth.

Step 7: Build Your Systems

Before you accept your first booking, you need:

• Booking management: A reliable way to track reservations, check-ins, and check-outs
• Pet profiles: Detailed records for every pet including feeding instructions, medications, emergency contacts, vet details, and behavioural notes
• Vaccination tracking: A system to verify and record vaccination status before accepting any pet
• Communication: A process for updating owners during stays and contacting them in emergencies
• Payment processing: Clear payment terms, card-on-file requirements, and checkout billing

Key Takeaways

1. Check council zoning first. A DA for a boarding facility takes 3-12 months.
2. Know your state's Code of Practice. Requirements vary but set minimum standards.
3. Design for safety. Double gates, CCTV, secure fencing, and isolation areas are non-negotiable.
4. Staff for 24/7 operations. Boarding isn't 9-5. Plan overnight coverage from day one.
5. Get comprehensive insurance. Care, custody, and control coverage is essential for boarding.
6. Price to cover real costs. Boarding overheads are higher than grooming or daycare.
7. Build your systems before opening. Bookings, pet records, and communication need to be reliable from day one.

Related reading: Starting a Dog Daycare in NSW covers the daycare-specific requirements.

Boarding is rewarding, profitable, and in high demand. But it requires more planning, more regulation, and more operational rigour than most other pet services. Get the foundations right and you'll build a business that serves your community for years.

This article is general information for Australian pet business owners. It is not legal, accounting, tax or financial advice. Codes of practice, planning rules and fees change, commonly on 1 July, and council fees are set annually with each council's budget. Pricing ranges here are indicative market observations rather than regulated figures. Check the linked primary source, or your accountant or solicitor, before you act on anything here.

Sources

• NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Animal Welfare Code of Practice No 5 - Dogs and cats in animal boarding establishments: dpird.nsw.gov.au
• NSW Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, Animal Welfare Code of Practice No 8 - Animals in pet grooming establishments: dpird.nsw.gov.au
• Agriculture Victoria, Boarding establishments: agriculture.vic.gov.au
• Agriculture Victoria, Domestic animal businesses: agriculture.vic.gov.au
• business.gov.au, Types of business insurance: business.gov.au
• Safe Work Australia, WHS regulators and workers' compensation authorities contact information: safeworkaustralia.gov.au
• Pet Industry Association of Australia, Latest industry stats: piaa.org.au
• Animal Medicines Australia, Pets in Australia: a national survey of pets and people: animalmedicinesaustralia.org.au