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Pet Boarding at Ferne Animal sanctuary Chard, Somerset

Pet Boarding at Ferne Animal Sanctuary

– dog and cat boarding facilities –

For 85 years, Ferne has set the standard for exceptional care for dogs and cats. Having rescued, cared for, and rehomed tens of thousands of animals, we’re now delighted to offer pet boarding for when you’re on holiday or away from home.

Nestled in the beautiful Blackdown Hills, Somerset, Ferne provides the perfect setting, with a dedicated team and state-of-the-art facilities to ensure your pet enjoys a truly home-from-home experience.

At Ferne, we understand that every pet is unique, with its own personality and preferences. Whether your cat loves lounging, or your dog enjoys long walks, we offer flexible services to meet all your pet’s needs.

Your pet will be in the safest of hands with our passionate, highly trained team of animal care specialists, all with extensive experience in animal welfare. For us, caring for animals is our top priority, ensuring your pet has a safe, healthy, and enjoyable stay.

We also have staff on duty every night to check on your pet, and our close relationships with local vets provide ultimate peace of mind.

Licensed by the council and fully accredited by the Association of Dogs and Cats Homes, we undergo regular inspections to ensure the highest standards of care.

Ferne Cattery

Our cattery is set in a secluded location overlooking our plantation area, providing a calm and secure retreat for your cat. Each spacious pen is fully insulated, heated, and fitted with an air purification system to ensure a clean and comfortable environment.

We’ve designed each space with your cat’s preferences in mind, offering a choice of cosy sleeping areas from ground level to elevated spots. Every pen also includes a secure outdoor run, allowing your cat to enjoy fresh air and peaceful views.

Our cattery has been carefully designed to prioritise biosecurity and minimise stress. Soft background music plays throughout, and we use gentle calming aids such as Pet Remedy to help your cat feel relaxed and at ease. Your cat’s comfort and wellbeing are always our highest priority.

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Ferne animal sanctuary pet boarding
“We adopted Mildred as a kitten from Ferne, she’s now 8 years old and up until last year had never stayed away from home. We booked her into stay for a week and left her with a list of her odd ways!
She does not like stangers, so it was really pleasing to get a video halfway during our holiday of Mildred coming out of her bed purring and saying hello to the staff who were looking after her.
We have booked her in again this year, it’s good to know she will be well looked after.”
– Kim & Mildred
“Junior was the first cat to use the Boarding facilities at Ferne, and I can honestly say he was treated like royalty. He and Rusty will be returning again this Summer for their holidays. Rusty was adopted from Ferne so he knew the people looking after him.
They have a lovely big area to use and access to the outside if they want. They have plenty of toys to play with and Helen and her girls spend time with them.  I would highly recommend Ferne to anyone looking for a safe and welcoming atmosphere for their fur babies.”
– E Stone

“Billy and Milly have boarded at Ferne around six times in the last twelve months and they and we regard Ferne as their second home .
They are always excited when we arrive and never show any anxiety which is a great reflection on the care they receive .
Staff are professional and caring and always demonstrate familiarity with the pets in their care, their wellbeing is closely monitored and recorded and reported back to owners.
I always recommend Ferne to other dog owners as a home from home.”
– J Preston
Grub & Delhi’s Fabulous Breaks at Ferne
“Tails a-wagging on the way in and tails a-wagging on the way out, I think that says everything about Grub & Delhi’s opinion of staying at Ferne. I was really pleased to see that the wonderful team at Ferne had started to offer a boarding service and from my first visit to look round to each of the their three stays in 2025, we’ve received fantastic care & communication. The kennels are a great size, giving plenty of space & choice for dogs with different temperature preferences and the private outside space is a real plus. Daily enrichment activities, different exercise options around the beautiful site and interaction with people make it a special break for my super-social dogs.”
– Lisa
 “We went to view the recently opened cattery at Ferne Animal Sanctury last year. Saffron loves to be outside so we were really impressed with the cosy looking pens with outdoor space.  The staff appeared to be very loving and professional.  We just had a really good feeling about the cattery and booked her in for a week in May 2025. We were so pleased with how well Saffron was cared for that we have booked her in again in May 2026.”
– S Handford

Ferne Boarding kennels

Set in a peaceful rural location, our spacious kennels are designed with your dog’s comfort in mind. Each kennel features a generous indoor area with its own attached outdoor run, as well as individually controlled underfloor heating to ensure a cosy stay tailored to every guest.

Every dog enjoys daily enrichment activities, along with a minimum 45-minute walk. They’ll also have time in our sensory garden, where they can explore, sniff, paddle, play, or simply relax at their own pace.

For more energetic guests, we offer an agility area – perfect for dogs who love to stay active and make the most of their holiday.

If you would like to find out what a day in the life of a boarder looks like here at Ferne, you might find this blog post useful.

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Pet Boarding terms and conditions - please read carefully:
  • Check In and Check Out times can be pre-booked at anytime during our opening hours.
  • Opening hours are 10:30 am – 12.00 noon and 2 pm – 3.30 pm, 362 days per year, excluding Christmas Day, Boxing Day, and New Year’s Day.
  • Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day and all Bank Holidays are at a 20% premium per animal per day.
  • All bookings will be charged at your pets’ daily rate from the day of arrival for their full stay, including the day of departure, regardless of the time in which they are collected.
  • Once bookings are confirmed, full payment will be collected. If you cancel your booking prior to 28 days of arrival, your full payment will be refunded.
  • We would recommend bringing your pet’s own food to avoid any dietary changes during their stay and keep tummies happy. An item of their own, such as a piece of bedding so they have the familiar scent of home will also help them to settle in.
  • All pets boarding with us will need to be appropriately vaccinated, wormed and flea treated. Vaccination cards will need to accompany your pet during their stay with us. Dogs will need to have had their kennel cough vaccination at least 3 weeks before their stay. Cats will need to be vaccinated against flu and feline enteritis.
  • Please ensure your microchip details are up to date.
  • For owners of entire bitches, please don’t bring her for boarding if she is in, or due to be in season.
  • Dogs over the age of 10 and cats over the age of 12 will need to have had a veterinary health check within a month prior to boarding.
  • While your pets will receive the best levels of care, pets will be boarded entirely at your own risk, Ferne Animal Sanctuary will not have any liability.
  • Should your pet require veterinary treatment whilst staying with us, this will be charged to your bill.
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