How to check a daycare supervises and separates dogs safely

Most people assume that if a daycare is friendly and their dog enjoys playing there, supervision and safety must be solid. In reality, "we have lots of space and the dogs have fun" tells you almost nothing about how staff manage conflicts, prevent escapes, or respond when a dog is injured. A daycare can be loud, chaotic, and unsafe for your dog without looking it from the pickup point.

Before you hand over your dog, you need proof of how they actually run their operation—not just reassurance.

Check what they're actually licensed or registered for

Start by asking whether the facility holds a registration or licence that covers animal care. South Africa doesn't have a single national daycare licensing scheme, but many provinces and municipalities require businesses operating on residential or commercial property to comply with local bylaws. Some daycares work from home; others operate from dedicated facilities.

Ask directly: "Do you have any local municipal registration or business permit that covers animal care?" Take note of their answer. If they're evasive or say "we don't need one," that's a flag to investigate further—contact your local municipality's health or licensing department to find out what actually applies in your area.

If the daycare is affiliated with a veterinary practice or operates under professional animal care standards, ask them to show you any registration with industry bodies or accreditation schemes they claim to follow. Write down the registration or membership number and verify it independently—don't just accept a certificate on the wall.

Request their supervision and separation protocols in writing

Ask the daycare for a written description of how they:

• Separate dogs (by size, temperament, energy level, or activity type).
• Monitor play areas during group sessions—how many staff supervise how many dogs, and are they actively watching or just present?
• Handle conflicts between dogs (do they interrupt play, remove dogs, or let conflicts escalate?).
• Manage dogs with known anxiety, aggression, or medical conditions separately.
• Respond to injury, illness, or emergency (is a vet on-call, how fast can they act, who pays for emergency care?).

Ask them to walk you through a typical day in writing or via video. Don't accept vague reassurance like "we separate them based on need." You want specifics. If they're unwilling or evasive, move on.

Once you have their protocol, cross-check it against what you see on a surprise visit. Do the staff actually separate the dogs as described, or do they throw everyone together? Are they watching, or on their phones? Is the space secure, with gates that close and lock?

Phone their references and ask the hard questions

Ask for at least three recent references—owners whose dogs have been there in the last six months. When you call, don't ask "Is your dog happy?" Everyone says yes. Instead, ask:

• Has your dog ever come home injured, and how did the daycare handle it?
• Have you seen staff actively supervising play, or are they mostly in the background?
• Does your dog get separated from other dogs at any point, or is it free-for-all the whole time?
• Would you trust them with a puppy, an old dog, or an anxious dog? Why or why not?
• Have you ever had to give special instructions about your dog's behaviour or health, and did staff follow them?

Listen for hesitation, backtracking, or stories that don't quite add up. A genuinely good daycare will have references who can point to specific examples of safe handling.

Do a visit during operating hours

Before you commit, spend 20 minutes watching the daycare in action. You're not looking for chaos or play—you're looking for whether staff notice when dogs are stressed, whether they break up rough play before it escalates, and whether dogs can access water and shade. If the daycare won't let you observe, that's a reason to go elsewhere.

When you've done this groundwork, you'll have a much clearer picture of whether the daycare actually supervises and separates dogs with care, or just keeps them in a room together. Use Strove to find verified daycares in your area, read their full credentials and customer reviews, and apply these checks before enrolling.