Licensed & Regulated Care

At Bruce’s, the welfare, safety and wellbeing of the dogs in our care will always be our first priority.

Choosing day care for your dog is an important decision. You need to know that your dog will be cared for by people who understand dogs, in centres that are safe, well managed and properly overseen.

Bruce’s is a licensed and regulated dog day care provider. Each of our centres is licensed by the relevant local authority, subject to inspection and oversight by local authority licensing teams, and every centre currently holds a 5-star licence rating. For customers, that matters. It means every Bruce’s centre is checked against the standards expected of licensed dog day care providers, helping you feel confident that your dog is being cared for in a safe, responsible and properly overseen environment.

What licensing means

Dog day care is a regulated service. Local authority licensing helps ensure that providers meet the standards required to care for dogs safely and responsibly. That oversight can include areas such as:

• dog welfare and safety;
• supervision and staff ratios;
• suitability of facilities;
• cleanliness and maintenance;
• operating procedures;
• transport arrangements where relevant;
• record keeping;
• incident management; and
• how concerns are handled.

For customers, this matters because Bruce’s centres are not simply marking their own homework. They are subject to independent oversight by the local authority teams responsible for licensing dog day care providers.

Our licensed centres

We publish licence information for our centres so customers can see which local authority oversees each site and what current rating each holds.

If you have a question about a specific centre’s licence or inspection history, please contact your local Bruce’s team. We will be happy to talk you through it.

Safe, structured and responsible care

Licensing is an important external check, but our responsibility goes further than meeting regulatory requirements.

Every day, our teams focus on giving dogs a safe, structured and enriching day. That means supervised play, appropriate rest, clear routines and careful matching of dogs by size, temperament and play style. This is how our day care works.

Our carers are trained to understand dog behaviour, body language, group dynamics and different play styles. Dogs are carefully introduced and supervised so they can enjoy their day in a way that is safe, appropriate and enjoyable for them.

We want dogs to have a wonderful time at Bruce’s – but we also want customers to feel confident that the care behind the scenes is organised, professional and responsible.

Travel and doggy bus safety

For customers using our home collection and drop-off service, travel is an important part of their dog’s day.

Bruce’s holds Type 2 Animal Transporter Authorisation: UK/REIGA/T2/00115911

Our doggy bus service is designed around safety, comfort and reliability. Vehicles are specially fitted for dog travel, with secure crate systems, climate control and bedding. Our drivers are DBS checked, and customers receive pick-up and drop-off notifications. Where we hold keys for customers, we do so securely and in line with agreed instructions.

If you have questions about your dog’s journey, routes, collection times or travel arrangements, please speak to your local Bruce’s team.

How we respond to concerns

We do not dismiss genuine concern. If a customer, colleague or authority raises an issue, we take it seriously.

Where concerns are raised, we review the facts, speak to the relevant teams, consider any supporting information and engage with the appropriate local authority where needed. If improvements are required, we act.

That approach is reflected in our inspection history. Since 2018, Bruce’s centres have been inspected by local authority licensing teams more than 40 times. Only once in that period did an inspection require limited corrective action. That related to our former Country Hills centre, which has since closed. Bruce’s worked constructively with the relevant authority, addressed the points raised, and retained its 5-star licence rating.

We also want colleagues to feel able to raise concerns safely and properly. Bruce’s has internal procedures for employees and workers who need to report concerns, including a whistleblowing procedure. That procedure explains how concerns can be raised. Bruce’s also provides an external whistleblowing route through Protect, the independent whistleblowing charity, so colleagues have a further route to raise concerns outside the business if they need to. 

For customers, this is important because responsible care depends on openness. If something needs to be raised, there should be proper ways to raise it. If something needs to be reviewed, it should be reviewed carefully. And if something needs to be improved, it should be acted on.

That is the approach we take at Bruce’s: listen, review, escalate where appropriate, and act where action is needed. Learn more about how we handle concerns.

Why this matters

Customers trust us with members of their family. That trust has to be earned every day.

For us, licensed and regulated care means:

• independent local authority oversight;
• clear welfare standards;
• trained teams;
• safe and structured routines;
• appropriate supervision;
• responsible transport arrangements;
• proper handling of concerns; and
• openness with customers who have questions.

Our aim is simple: to give dogs a safe, happy and enriching day, while giving our customers confidence that Bruce’s is being run with care, professionalism and proper oversight.

Questions about our standards?

If you have questions about our centres, licensing, supervision, transport, staff training or your dog’s day with us, please contact your local Bruce’s team.

We will always be happy to talk to you about how we care for dogs and how our centres are run.

Interested in day care for your dog? Get in touch below