Pet Services in Columbia, SC

Local listings, alphabetical, with a guide to hiring.

Pet services in the area include boarding, day care, grooming and training. Summer heat is a real factor for dogs, so ask about indoor space and climate control.

Listed businesses (A–Z)

Listings are alphabetical and are not endorsements. Details were checked against each business's website on September 26, 2026. Listing policy.

About pet services in Columbia, SC

Boarding kennels, day cares and groomers each set their own vaccination rules, but rabies is the one required by state law. The Rabies Control Act (SC Code chapter 47-5) requires owners to keep pets (dogs, cats and ferrets) vaccinated against rabies continuously. The vaccine must be given by or under a licensed veterinarian, who issues a signed certificate and a numbered metal tag that must be worn on the pet's collar or harness. Keep the certificate handy for boarding and day care check-in.

The same law says a dog, cat or ferret that bites a person must be quarantined for at least 10 days, and the bite must be reported to the county health department by the end of the next working day. Ask any facility how it handles a bite or a fight and which vet it uses in an emergency. Dog-friendly days out: Soda City Market, the Three Rivers Greenway and Saluda Shoals Park.

How to choose

  • Ask which vaccinations are required and whether a temperament test is needed for day care.
  • Tour the facility and ask about staff-to-dog ratios and overnight supervision.
  • Ask what happens in a medical emergency and which vet the facility uses.

Official lookups: SC Rabies Control Act (SC Code ch. 47-5)

Frequently asked questions

What vaccinations do pet sitters and boarding kennels in Columbia require?

Every facility sets its own list, so ask. Rabies is required by state law: the SC Rabies Control Act requires dogs, cats and ferrets to be vaccinated continuously by or under a licensed vet, with a signed certificate and a metal tag on the collar.

What happens if my dog bites someone at day care?

Under SC Code chapter 47-5, the bite must be reported to the county health department by the end of the next working day, and the dog must be quarantined for at least 10 days at the owner's expense.

How do I choose a pet sitter or boarding facility in Columbia, SC?

Tour it first, ask about staff-to-pet ratios, overnight supervision and climate control in summer, which vaccinations are required, and which vet is called in an emergency.

Columbia guides for this category

Three Rivers Greenway Guide: Riverwalks, Parking and Hours

Local Guides · 6 min read

A section-by-section guide to the 15½-mile Three Rivers Greenway: the Saluda Riverwalk, Boyd Island, Columbia's Riverfront Parks, the West Columbia and Cayce riverwalks, where to park free, hours, rules and what is still under construction.

Saluda Shoals Park Guide: Hours, Fees, Trails and Kayaks

Local Guides · 6 min read

The Irmo-area river park explained: which entrance to use, 2026 hours by season, what parking and passes cost, the splash pad, the Barking Lot dog park, kayak rental prices and the new Saluda Shoals Riverwalk.