Useful Websites & Resources

In Ireland each County Council has different guidelines in relation to kennels and catteries, such as planning permission, waste disposal, licensing requirements etc. As a result, we can only give general answers to questions on these topics. If you are planning on building or upgrading a kennels or cattery we would recommend that you contact your local Council in the first instance who can inform you of the requirements in your area. You may also find it helpful to visit established businesses in your area. You can find a list of County Councils in Ireland here.

All Kennels in Ireland, including boarding kennels, fall under the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 which sets out the minimum requirements for construction, maintenance, operation and management of kennels in Ireland. Anyone planning to start a kennels should be familiar with the legislation, an accessible version of which can be found here.

You may also find the UK guidelines, the CIEH Model License Conditions and Guidance for Dog Boarding Establishments to be helpful. You can get a copy of that here.

As there are currently no regulations in regards to catteries in Ireland we recommend that our members follow the UK's CIEH Model License Conditions and Guidance for Cat Boarding Establishment 2013 which can be found here.

 

There are also a number of books that provide excellent information on kennel and cattery design for anyone who is thinking of starting a business. We recommend: Kennel Design: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Perfect Kennels by David Key and Gwen Bailey; Essential Kennel Design by David Key; and Cattery Design: The Essential Guide to Creating Your Perfect Cattery by David Key. As these books are very expensive we suggest that you look first in your local library. 

 

Finally, we welcome new members who are passionate about animal care and committed to improving standards and providing the highest level of care and service. If you would like to become a member of the IBKCA you can find more information and an application form here. ​

• List of County Councils in Ireland - make contact here first to get planning permission for your new Kennel or Cattery

• Chartered Institute of Environmental Health (CIEH) - IBKCA sugest as a safe option using the UK's CIEH guidelines as a minimum. See their Model Licensing conditions and Guidance for Boarding Kennels.

• CIEH Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Dog Boarding Establishments - 2016

• CIEH Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Cat Boarding Establishments - 2013

• CIEH Model Licence Conditions and Guidance for Dog Breeding Establishments - 2014

• Kennel & Cattery Management- a bi-monthly magazine edited for boarding kennel and cattery proprietors, covering all aspects of canine and feline care.

• Essential Kennel Design, by David Key - guide and information on setting up your own kennels, conforms to UK standards

• Cattery Design - information on setting up your own cattery, conforms to UK standards

• Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA)

• Dogs Trust (Ireland)

• Department of Rural and Community Development - Dog Control

• Dublin City and County - Dog Control