You work hard to care for animals properly. You keep the kennels clean, answer worried owners’ questions and manage bookings around holidays, school breaks and last-minute plans.
But good care does not automatically make your business visible on Google.
When someone searches for “dog kennels near me”, “cattery boarding”, “cat boarding near me” or “pet boarding in [town]”, your Google Business Profile may be the first thing they see. If the profile is incomplete, unclear or out of date, they may choose another business before visiting your website.
This guide explains Google Business Profile for kennels and catteries in plain English, including the local SEO work that helps your profile appear and convert more pet owners.
Start with the right business category
Your primary category tells Google what your business mainly does. Choose the closest accurate option available in your profile.
Depending on your main service, this might be:
- Pet boarding service
- Dog boarding kennel
- Kennels
- Cattery, where available
- Pet hotel, if that accurately reflects your service
Choose one primary category. Do not add every possible category just to appear for more searches.
Add secondary categories only for substantial services you genuinely offer, such as:
- Dog daycare
- Pet groomer
- Dog trainer
- Pet sitter
- Pet hotel
Do not add dog training if you only give basic exercise or add veterinary categories because you provide medication support. That can mislead customers and create trust problems.
Use your real address and service area
Most kennels and catteries are businesses customers visit. Owners need to drop off and collect their pets, inspect the facilities and sometimes attend a pre-booking meeting.
Use the real, staffed address of the premises. Make sure it matches your:
- Website
- Signage
- Invoices
- Local directories
- Licence information
- Google Business Profile
Do not use a virtual office, a friend’s address or a second address in a nearby town to appear in more searches. This can confuse Google and customers, and may put your profile at risk.
You can also add a sensible service area if owners travel to you from nearby towns. Keep it realistic. A kennel in one part of Yorkshire should not claim to serve the whole of England unless there is a genuine reason.
On your website, clearly mention the areas you serve. For example:
- Dog boarding near York
- Cattery serving Selby and surrounding villages
- Pet boarding near Harrogate
- Home boarding for dogs in [town]
Use these phrases naturally. Do not repeat the town name in every sentence.
Make your services easy to understand
Pet owners want to know exactly what you offer before they make contact.
Create clear service entries for the work you actually provide, such as:
- Dog kennel boarding
- Cattery boarding
- Cat boarding
- Dog daycare
- Home boarding for dogs
- Holiday pet care
- Short stays
- Long stays
- Puppy boarding, if suitable
- Medication support, if properly managed
- Collection and drop-off, if available
- Facility tours
Explain what each service includes. Mention practical details such as exercise routines, feeding arrangements, sleeping areas, collection times and how you handle special requirements.
Avoid vague phrases such as “five-star pet care” unless you explain what that means in practice.
Your profile description should quickly answer:
- Which animals do you board?
- Where are you located?
- What type of accommodation do you provide?
- What makes your care suitable for owners?
- How can someone check availability or book?
Do not claim to provide veterinary care unless you are qualified and registered to do so. You can explain that you follow owner instructions for medication or work with a customer’s vet, but do not present ordinary boarding care as veterinary expertise.
Be honest about licensing, welfare and insurance
Licensing information matters because owners are trusting you with an animal’s safety.
In England, commercial boarding for cats or dogs generally requires a licence from the local authority under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018. This includes boarding kennels, catteries, home boarding and dog day care.
Rules differ across the UK, so check the requirements with your own local authority. You can read the official GOV.UK guidance for boarding cats or dogs.
Where accurate, explain:
- Your local authority licence status
- Your licence number
- Your current star rating
- Your licence period
- Your insurance cover
- Relevant qualifications or training
- Your welfare and emergency procedures
Only publish information that is current. If your licence is being renewed, say so clearly rather than showing an old rating as if it is still valid.
Upload real photos that answer owner concerns
Photos are one of the strongest trust signals on a kennel or cattery profile.
Use real images of your own premises, team and facilities. Stock images may look polished, but they do not show customers what their pet will actually experience.
Upload photos of:
- The entrance and signage
- Reception and drop-off areas
- Dog sleeping areas
- Secure outdoor runs
- Exercise and play areas
- Cat units and climbing spaces
- Bedding and feeding areas
- Cleaning facilities
- Isolation arrangements, where appropriate
- Staff caring for animals
- Parking and access
Keep the images bright, tidy and current. Show welfare, cleanliness and calm handling rather than focusing only on locked doors or empty runs.
Add new photos when you improve the facilities or change seasonal arrangements. A profile that has not been updated for years can make an active business look neglected.
Ask for reviews at the right time
Reviews help people decide whether to trust you with their pet. They also give Google more context about your services and location.
Ask customers after a successful stay, when they collect their dog or cat and can see that the animal is settled and well.
Make the request simple:
“If you were happy with Bella’s stay, please leave us a short Google review. It helps other local pet owners find us.”
Do not offer rewards for positive reviews or ask customers to include exact keywords. You can mention the type of service in your request, but the review must reflect the customer’s honest experience.
Aim for a steady flow of genuine reviews rather than asking every customer on one day.
Reply to all reviews. Mention the pet’s name only if the owner has used it publicly and you are comfortable doing so. Never reveal private details about the animal, its medical needs or the owner.
For a negative review, stay calm. Acknowledge the concern, avoid arguing in public and invite the owner to contact you privately. Your response is also visible to future customers.
Use Q&A to remove booking friction
Google’s Q&A section is useful for common questions that stop people from enquiring.
Add clear answers about:
- Vaccination requirements
- Flea and worming requirements
- Drop-off and collection times
- Trial visits
- Facility tours
- Food and treats
- Medication arrangements
- Emergency contacts
- Behavioural requirements
- What owners should bring
- Whether dogs and cats are housed separately
- How far in advance customers should book
Keep answers factual and current. If prices change, update the answer rather than leaving old figures visible.
Monitor the section regularly. Customers can ask questions that need a quick, accurate response.
Publish useful Google Posts
Google Posts can keep your profile active and help customers understand what is happening at your business.
Useful post topics include:
- Holiday boarding availability
- New facility photos
- Tour dates
- Updated vaccination requirements
- Last-minute cancellation spaces
- Seasonal travel reminders
- Changes to opening times
- New enrichment activities
- Booking deadlines for Christmas or summer
Write for real customers, not search engines. One useful update is better than several thin posts full of repeated keywords.
Always remove or update time-sensitive posts. A Christmas availability message in March looks careless.
Improve response times and booking enquiries
Local visibility only matters if you respond when people are ready to book.
Add accurate opening hours, holiday hours, phone numbers and booking instructions. Make it obvious whether customers should call, email, complete a form or request a tour.
Reply to messages as quickly as you reasonably can. If you cannot answer during animal care hours, explain when you will respond.
Your website should also make the next step simple. A pet owner may not be ready to call, but they may be willing to provide:
- Pet type
- Breed or size
- Boarding dates
- Number of pets
- Medication needs
- Preferred contact details
An instant quote widget can collect this information while the visitor is still considering your business. The instant quote widget lets visitors choose a service, see a starting estimate and leave their details before they leave the site.
Common Google Business Profile mistakes
Avoid these problems:
- Adding keywords to your business name
- Using a fake address
- Claiming areas you do not realistically serve
- Choosing inaccurate categories
- Using stock photos instead of facility photos
- Leaving old opening hours online
- Ignoring reviews
- Promising veterinary care without the right qualifications
- Publishing an expired licence rating
- Creating duplicate profiles
- Asking for five-star reviews specifically
- Making customers complete a long form before asking a basic question
- Forgetting to update holiday availability
These mistakes can reduce trust even when your actual boarding service is excellent.
How SEO for kennels and catteries fits together
Good SEO for kennels and catteries is not about stuffing “dog boarding near me” into every page.
It is about making the whole business easy to verify:
- Your Google Business Profile matches your website
- Your services are named clearly
- Your location is accurate
- Your licence and welfare information is honest
- Your photos show the real premises
- Your reviews are genuine and answered
- Your website works properly on mobile
- Your visitors have a quick route to enquire
VU1’s free audit checks 15 local, on-page and technical signals, including Google Business Profile completeness, business information, local citations, page titles, mobile-friendliness and structured data. Enter your website and service area to get the results in under 15 seconds, with no signup required. Run the free audit.
For businesses that want ongoing help, VU1 membership. It includes local SEO, Google Business Profile optimisation, citation building, website fixes, a custom domain, hosting and an instant quote widget. There are no per-lead fees.
If you want trade-specific help, see VU1 membership.
You can also read the case studies to see how practical visibility fixes and clearer enquiry routes work across local businesses.
Get your kennel or cattery profile working harder
Check your primary category, address, services, licence information, photos, reviews and booking route today.
Then enter your website and town or service area into the free VU1 audit. Get your 15-signal report in under 15 seconds, see what is holding local visibility back and start with the fixes most likely to help nearby pet owners find and trust you.