Toronto Pet Grooming, Daycare & Boarding Rules Are Changing: What to Know Before 2027

Toronto's rules for businesses that care for pets are about to change significantly.

Starting February 1, 2027, Toronto will introduce a new Pet Establishment licence covering businesses that sell, board, breed, train or groom animals.

That means businesses such as:

• dog and cat groomers
• pet daycares
• boarding kennels
• animal trainers
• breeders
• pet shops

will operate under a broader City licensing framework than they do today.

The City says the changes are intended to improve animal care, consumer protection and neighbourhood standards while closing gaps in the current licensing system.

For Toronto pet owners, this should eventually provide another layer of oversight when choosing who looks after an animal.

For pet businesses, it means 2026 is the preparation year.

Here is what we know so far.

Editor's update watch: Toronto says additional Pet Establishment implementation guidance and a self-assessment tool are expected in fall 2026. AD18 Local will re-check this guide when that material is released and update any affected application, endorsement, fee or compliance details before the February 1, 2027 start date.

Quick answer: what changes on February 1, 2027?

Today, Toronto's municipal business-licensing framework primarily requires pet shops to hold the relevant pet-business licence.

Beginning February 1, 2027, that framework expands considerably.

• Pet grooming — Pet Establishment + Grooming endorsement
• Daycare — Pet Establishment + Daycare/Boarding/Training endorsement
• Boarding — Pet Establishment + Daycare/Boarding/Training endorsement
• Training — Pet Establishment + Daycare/Boarding/Training endorsement
• Breeding — Pet Establishment + Breeding endorsement
• Sale/adoption of animals — Pet Establishment + Sale/Adoption endorsement
• Overnight animal keeping — Additional Overnight Animal Keeping endorsement where applicable

Businesses offering more than one type of service may need multiple endorsements attached to the same licence.

Toronto says there will be no additional licence fee for each endorsement.

Why is Toronto changing the rules?

The pet-service industry has changed significantly.

Toronto says there are now more than 400 pet establishments operating in the city, while pet ownership and demand for services such as grooming, daycare and boarding have grown.

But under the existing framework, many businesses handling live animals have not been covered by Toronto's pet-business licensing system.

The City specifically identified gaps involving:

• animal welfare
• consumer protection
• sanitation
• record keeping
• neighbourhood noise and odour
• oversight of businesses keeping animals for extended periods

City Council approved the new framework in July 2025, with implementation deliberately delayed until February 2027 to give the City and businesses time to prepare.

What will every licensed pet establishment need to address?

Toronto's current guidance says all Pet Establishments will be required to meet standards involving:

• animal care, feeding and handling
• housing and accommodation
• cleanliness and sanitation
• record keeping
• insurance coverage

Additional rules depend on what the business actually does.

A grooming salon will not necessarily have identical requirements to a kennel that keeps 30 dogs overnight.

That is why Toronto is using endorsements.

The underlying business holds one Pet Establishment licence, while the endorsements identify the specific animal-related activities being conducted.

Groomers will face specific animal-care rules

Toronto has already approved detailed requirements specifically for pet grooming salons.

Beginning with the new framework, grooming operators must ensure that dogs and cats accepted for grooming have up-to-date vaccinations and parasite treatments, unless a licensed veterinarian provides a written exemption.

Businesses must also inspect animals when they arrive for signs of contagious or infectious disease.

If an animal appears sick or injured, the owner must be contacted promptly.

If the owner cannot be reached or cannot arrange immediate care with their preferred veterinarian, the grooming business must ensure appropriate veterinary care is provided.

Other approved requirements include:

• non-slip surfaces in bathing tubs
• restrictions on placing multiple animals in the same enclosure without owner authorization

For pet owners, these are practical standards that can become useful questions when choosing a groomer.

Daycare and boarding businesses will have additional responsibilities

A business responsible for animals for several hours — or overnight — creates different risks from a grooming appointment.

Toronto's approved rules include standards for animal accommodation, separation, supervision and exercise.

For example, the framework includes requirements concerning younger dogs being separated from unfamiliar older dogs in certain circumstances and ensuring dogs have an appropriate opportunity for exercise, either in a secure exercise area or through regular leash walks.

Businesses keeping animals overnight will also need the relevant Overnight Animal Keeping endorsement in addition to endorsements for their other activities.

So a company that offers daycare + overnight boarding + grooming could require several endorsements under one Pet Establishment licence.

Pet businesses will need commercial insurance

The approved licensing framework also includes insurance requirements.

Pet Establishment operators will generally need $2 million in Commercial General Liability insurance, with the City named as an additional insured and documentation provided to Municipal Licensing and Standards.

That requirement makes sense when businesses may be responsible for:

• animal injuries
• bites
• escapes
• injuries to customers or staff
• property damage

For existing small grooming or pet-care businesses that currently operate without this level of commercial coverage, insurance may become one of the more important costs to plan for before 2027.

Record keeping will matter more

The new framework is not just about paying for a licence.

Toronto's approved rules contain record-keeping requirements around animals in a business's care and incidents that occur.

That includes maintaining information that can help establish:

• which animals were present
• ownership/contact information
• health and vaccination information where required
• animal-care details
• injuries or incidents
• what action the business took following an incident

For businesses currently relying mostly on text messages, handwritten notes or memory, 2026 is a good time to start thinking about a more consistent record system.

What businesses are not considered Pet Establishments?

Not every organization dealing with animals falls under this licence.

Toronto's current guidance specifically says the Pet Establishment category does not include:

• veterinary practices
• animal shelters
• animal rescue organizations

The approved bylaw also contains exemptions for certain City or institutional animal facilities.

If a business sits somewhere between categories, owners should confirm the rules directly with Municipal Licensing and Standards rather than assuming an exemption applies.

Pet shops are changing too

Existing pet shops are already licensed in Toronto, but their framework will change.

On February 1, 2027, the current Pet Shop licence category will be replaced by the new Pet Establishment licence.

Existing pet shops will also need the endorsements that correspond to their activities.

Toronto is expanding sourcing requirements as well.

From February 2027, businesses keeping dogs, cats, rabbits or guinea pigs for sale or adoption will face stricter source requirements, with an exception in the rules for qualifying purebred animals.

That change is particularly relevant to businesses that combine retail with adoption or animal sales.

This is separate from your dog's or cat's licence

There are two different things here.

Toronto already requires individual dogs and cats living in the city to be licensed.

That is the pet owner's responsibility.

The new Pet Establishment licence is a business licence for companies caring for, grooming, boarding, training, breeding or selling animals.

Those should not be confused.

Toronto's current annual pet-licensing fees include:

• $25 for a spayed/neutered dog
• $60 for an unspayed/unneutered dog
• $15 for a spayed/neutered cat
• $50 for an unspayed/unneutered cat

Those individual pet fees are separate from the licensing requirements for the business looking after the animal.

What should Toronto pet businesses do during 2026?

Businesses do not need to pretend the February 2027 system is already in effect.

But they should prepare.

A grooming, boarding, daycare or training company can start by reviewing:

• Which services the business actually provides
• Which endorsements those services will require
• Existing insurance coverage
• Animal intake and vaccination procedures
• Cleaning and sanitation procedures
• Incident and injury records
• Animal housing and enclosure practices
• Emergency veterinary procedures
• Whether zoning permits the current operation
• Whether planned new services change the endorsements required

Toronto says businesses will have to notify Municipal Licensing and Standards at least 30 days before an operational change that would change the activities conducted at the establishment.

So adding overnight boarding to a grooming operation, for example, is not necessarily just a marketing decision under the new system.

More information is still coming

This is important.

Toronto's current Pet Establishments page says the City plans to provide additional implementation information in fall 2026.

It also plans to release a self-assessment tool to help businesses determine which endorsements they need and which requirements apply to them.

That means some operational details may become clearer between now and February 1.

AD18 Local will update this article when that information is released, including any changes to application steps, endorsements, fees or operating requirements.

Zoning rules are also being reviewed

Licensing is only one part of Toronto's pet-business changes.

The City is separately reviewing where kennels, grooming salons, pet daycares and training facilities should be permitted under Toronto's zoning rules.

Current zoning rules can restrict some kennel and pet-service uses to particular areas.

Toronto says the zoning study is intended to explore whether more pet services can operate closer to where residents live while still addressing concerns such as noise and odour.

So someone planning a new pet daycare should not simply think:

“A licence will exist in 2027, therefore I can open it anywhere.”

Licensing and zoning remain separate questions.

What should pet owners ask a groomer or daycare?

The new licence should eventually provide another useful verification point.

But a City licence should still be only one part of choosing who cares for your animal.

Useful questions include:

• What vaccinations do you require?
• How do you handle sick or injured animals?
• How are dogs grouped during daycare?
• Are animals ever left unattended?
• How do you prevent escapes?
• What happens during an emergency?
• Which veterinarian do you contact if necessary?
• How are incidents documented?
• Are animals kept overnight?
• Does the business carry appropriate insurance?

For boarding, you may also want to see where your pet will sleep and exercise.

For grooming, explain any medical issues, behavioural concerns or sensitivity before leaving the animal.

A professional operator should be able to explain their procedures clearly.

Does a licence mean AD18 or the City guarantees the business?

No.

Licensing creates minimum regulatory requirements and gives the City another mechanism for oversight.

It does not guarantee:

• that every customer will have a good experience
• that a particular groomer is skilled with every breed
• that no animal will ever be injured
• that one daycare is appropriate for every dog's temperament

Consumers should still use judgment, ask questions and consider the individual animal's needs.

Find pet businesses in Toronto

You can discover local pet-related businesses through the AD18 Toronto Business Directory.

• Toronto Pets: Browse Toronto pet businesses →
• Toronto Business Directory: Browse all Toronto businesses →

Depending on available listings, that can include businesses providing services such as grooming, training and other pet care.

If you operate a Toronto pet business that is not currently listed, you can also add your business to AD18.

An AD18 Directory listing is for discovery and does not mean AD18 has independently verified a business's licence, insurance, animal-care practices or professional qualifications.

The bottom line

Toronto's pet-service industry is heading toward substantially more formal oversight.

Beginning February 1, 2027, businesses involved in grooming, boarding, daycare, training, breeding and animal sales will fall under the City's new Pet Establishment licensing system.

For businesses, the change means more responsibility around:

licensing → endorsements → animal care → sanitation → records → insurance → service-specific standards.

For consumers, it should create clearer minimum expectations for businesses entrusted with their pets.

The rules are already approved, but Toronto is still preparing implementation information during 2026.

So if you own one of these businesses, the best approach is not to wait until January.

Understand the new framework now, watch for the City's fall 2026 guidance and use the remaining time to make sure your operation is ready.

This article provides general information, not legal or regulatory advice. Toronto's Pet Establishment rules take effect February 1, 2027, and additional implementation guidance is expected in fall 2026. Information was reviewed August 31, 2026. If you are reading this after newer City guidance has been released, confirm the current requirements directly with the City of Toronto before applying for a licence or changing business operations.