SPCA advocates for all animal boarding establishments to be independently inspected and regulated.

All animal boarding establishments must comply with the Code of Welfare: Temporary Housing of Companion Animals 2018 and other relevant species-specific Codes of Welfare. Boarding establishments are not currently subject to routine inspection.

SPCA encourages companion animal owners to carefully research boarding establishments to ensure they are able to provide the animals under their care with a Good Life where they experience positive welfare and their physical, health, and behavioural needs are met.

Personnel should be competent and properly trained to deliver standardised care to animals across the country.

SPCA recommends that companion animal owners select accredited or certified companion animal boarding establishments and visit the facility prior to boarding their companion animals.

SPCA is concerned about ‘board and train’ operations that guarantee results within a specific time period.

Board and train services involve leaving the client’s dog at the trainer's kennels for a specified period of time. Owner education is a key component of dog training which is absent from board and train services.

Behaviour can be either suppressed or exacerbated in an unfamiliar environment due to stress. This can make it challenging to effectively treat behavioural problems. Owners may not be aware of the training methods or devices used during their dog’s stay. Board and train programmes using aversive training methods can cause welfare harms, exacerbate problem behaviours and damage the human animal bond.