How to Prepare Pet Vaccine Records for Boarding

Boarding facilities and pet sitters usually ask for the same information at exactly the wrong moment: when a trip is close, the carrier is out and the vaccination certificate is somewhere in an inbox you have not opened for months.

Preparing a small, current pet record before you book makes the handoff calmer. It also gives the person caring for your pet the context they need if a routine question becomes an urgent one.

Check the facility's requirements first

Requirements vary by facility, location and type of care. Ask what the boarding provider needs, how recent the records must be and whether documents should be emailed, printed or uploaded to a portal.

Common requests include proof of core vaccinations, the date of the next booster, parasite prevention, the veterinarian's details and an emergency contact who is authorised to make decisions if you cannot be reached.

Build a simple boarding packet

Keep these details together:

• your pet's full name, age, breed and identifying markings;
• vaccination names, dates and certificates;
• current medication names, doses and schedules;
• allergies, sensitivities and previous reactions;
• feeding instructions and usual routines;
• your veterinarian and preferred emergency clinic;
• your travel dates, phone number and a backup contact;
• permission notes or insurance information if relevant.

The packet does not need to be long. A one-page summary can sit at the front, with full certificates and supporting documents behind it.

Make medication instructions unambiguous

Write “one tablet twice daily” only if the tablet strength is also clear. Include whether the medication should be given with food, what time the last dose was given and what to do if a dose is missed according to your veterinarian's instructions.

Do not ask a sitter to interpret a prescription. If anything has changed recently, confirm the plan with your vet before you leave.

Keep a private, current copy

PawKeep is designed to keep vaccinations, medications, vet visits, documents, weights and emergency details together for each pet. You can select the relevant records for a report and share the information privately with family or a sitter through iCloud.

Get PawKeep free on the App Store

Before handoff, check the record against the actual items in the bag. The best system is the one that matches today's medication, today's phone numbers and today's instructions. After you return, add any notes from the stay while the details are still fresh.