Question 1

What insurance should I have as a dog walker?

Accepted Answer

Public liability insurance is the starting point: it covers injury to a person or another animal, and damage to property, caused by a dog while it is in your care, for example a dog that bites a passer-by or knocks a cyclist off a bike. Most dog walker policies then add care, custody and control cover for the dogs themselves, so vet fees after an injury on a walk, or the cost of advertising and searching for a dog that strays, can be claimed. Key cover pays to replace a client's lost or stolen keys and locks. If you drive dogs between pick-ups your motor policy needs business use, and if anyone works for you, even casually, employers liability is a legal requirement.

Question 2

Do you legally need insurance to be a dog walker?

Accepted Answer

There is no law that says a self-employed dog walker must hold public liability insurance, so walking dogs without it is not in itself illegal. In practice most clients will not hand over a dog or a house key without seeing a certificate, and some councils and park authorities, including the Royal Parks in London, only issue a commercial dog walking licence to walkers who hold public liability cover. Employers liability is different: if you employ another walker or a helper the Employers' Liability (Compulsory Insurance) Act 1969 requires it, with a minimum limit of five million pounds.

Question 3

What do I need legally to be a dog walker?

Accepted Answer

Dog walking itself is not a licensable activity under the Animal Welfare (Licensing of Activities Involving Animals) (England) Regulations 2018, but home boarding and day care for dogs are, so if you also board dogs overnight or run a day care you need a licence from your local council. Some councils and park authorities require commercial dog walkers to register or hold a permit to use their parks, and they usually cap the number of dogs per walker. You must register as self-employed with HMRC, follow the Control of Dogs Order 1992 (every dog wears a collar and tag in public) and any public spaces protection orders in the areas you walk. Keeping written agreements with clients and a record of each dog's vet details is good practice and something insurers like to see.

Question 4

What are the new rules for dog walkers in the UK?

Accepted Answer

The changes that affect dog walkers most are local and breed-specific rather than one national licence. More councils now use public spaces protection orders to limit how many dogs one person can walk, typically four to six, and to require dogs on leads in named areas. Since the start of 2024 XL Bully dogs in England and Wales must be muzzled and on a lead in public, and from February 2024 their owner must hold an exemption certificate; Scotland followed with its own rules during 2024. A walker handling one takes on those duties for the walk. Rules differ between councils and change, so check the authority for each area you work in, and tell your insurer about any breed or activity it asks about. This is general guidance, not legal advice.

Question 5

How many dogs can I walk at once, and does it affect my cover?

Accepted Answer

Most dog walker policies state a maximum number of dogs you can walk at one time, commonly four to six, and some set a lower limit for dogs off the lead. Walking more dogs than your policy allows can mean a claim is refused, so match the limit to how you actually work and ask for a higher one if you need it. Local rules apply too: a public spaces protection order or park licence may set its own cap, and the lower of the two is the one to follow.

Question 6

Are the dogs in my care covered if they are injured, lost or stolen?

Accepted Answer

That is what care, custody and control cover is for. It can meet vet fees if a dog is injured or falls ill while it is with you, the cost of advertising and searching if a dog strays or is stolen, and in some policies a payment to the owner if a dog dies in your care. Limits per dog and per incident vary between insurers, some require you to have followed the owner's instructions about leads and recall, and the dog's own pet insurance is not a substitute, because it belongs to the owner and may not respond when the dog was with a paid walker.

Question 7

Does dog walker insurance cover using my car or van?

Accepted Answer

Public liability does not cover accidents on the road: that is the job of your motor policy, which needs to be insured for business use if you collect and return dogs by car or van. Tell the motor insurer that you carry animals, and expect questions about how the dogs are restrained, because the Highway Code says animals in a vehicle must be suitably restrained and a loose dog can count against you after an accident. Some pet business policies add cover for injury to a dog while it is being transported, so check whether yours does. A van kept for the business can be arranged through our panel alongside the liability cover.

Question 8

How much does insurance cost for a dog walker?

Accepted Answer

There is no single price. The premium depends on the public liability limit you choose, how many dogs you walk at a time and whether any are off the lead, whether you also board dogs, run day care or pet sit in clients' homes, whether you hold keys, the number of people working for you, your claims history and any extras such as personal accident or equipment cover. We put the details of how your dog walking business runs to our panel of insurers so the quote reflects the work you actually do.

Dog Walker Insurance