Dog and Cat Boarding in Brooklyn, NY

Choosing boarding in Brooklyn: plan around your route, try a short stay first, NYC permit rules, and options in Staten Island and Nassau.

Brooklyn is big enough that "a Brooklyn facility" can still mean a long trip across the borough. Start with your own route: where you will be coming from on drop-off day, and where you will be heading on pickup day. A facility near your home, your office or the road to the airport will make both days easier than one that looks better on paper but sits on the far side of the borough.

Try a short stay first

For a dog's first time boarding, a single night or a day of daycare at the same facility tells you more than any tour. Many facilities that board also run daycare, and a day visit lets you see how your dog comes home: tired and relaxed, or stressed and hoarse. If the facility offers a trial, book it a few weeks before the real trip so there is time to try somewhere else if it goes badly. Our guide to preparing your dog for boarding covers the rest of the run-up.

What city rules require

Boarding kennels in Brooklyn fall under the New York City Health Code, which requires a Health Department permit for a boarding kennel and a staff member with a small animal care and handling certificate on duty during business hours. On your side, the city requires dogs to be licensed, and state law requires rabies vaccination for dogs and cats. Each listing on this page shows the vaccine requirements we have confirmed from the facility's own website.

Looking beyond the borough

If you have a car, Brooklyn sits between two other options. The Verrazzano-Narrows Bridge connects Brooklyn with Staten Island, and Nassau County lies past Queens on the same island. Facilities outside the dense parts of the city are more likely to have outdoor yards, which can suit a high-energy dog. Without a car, the subway and buses take pets only in a lap-sized carrier, so larger dogs need a ride or a facility that offers pickup.

Summer and holidays

Ask any city facility how it keeps boarding areas cool in summer and what happens if the air conditioning goes down. For holiday dates, send booking requests as soon as your plans are fixed; facilities with claimed listings answer requests by email, and the rest list a phone number and website.

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