Owners are shelling out £46 million over the lifetime of their pets as 12 per cent of dogs received an illness and four per cent injury from their stay in kennels.

Vets’ fees costing over £150 were often the result of a stay in kennels despite most owners inspecting them before they committed, with a third visiting more than one in a bid to get the best choice. Chris Price, head of Direct Line pet insurance, said on the findings: “We recommend that pet owners base their kennel selection on word-of-mouth from a friend or another trusted source, and have the appropriate pet insurance to ensure that their pet is covered in the unfortunate event of it needing treatment.”

With over 5,400,000 dogs in the UK living for several years, the potential is there for large bills from vets due to any unfortunate accident.

Nearly half of dog owners have left their pet in kennels at some point as most said that they could not leave them with friends, family or neighbours.

While kennels cost up to a £100 for a stay, the bills afterwards can be even higher if the pet is not insured for any mishaps that occur during that time.

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