Booking & Vaccination Requirements: the full procedure
Take the reservation, confirm the facility has open space, and collect proof of current vaccinations plus a completed intake/health form before any pet is approved to arrive.
- Applies to: Front-desk / reservations staff.
- Frequency: Every booking.
- Scope: Operational booking process only. Which vaccines are "current," and any spay-neuter/age decision, follow the pet’s veterinarian, the owner’s records, and state/local kennel licensing — the facility does not give medical advice.
What you need
- Reservation / booking software
- Vaccination-record file
- Intake & health form
- Capacity / run chart
- Owner contact list
The procedure, step by step
- Take the reservation — Record dates, pet name, species/breed, owner contact, and the service requested (daycare, overnight, extended stay).
- Check capacity & space — Confirm an appropriate run/kennel of the right size is open for the full date range before confirming — never overbook the building.
- Require vaccination proof — Request veterinarian-signed proof of current vaccinations (e.g. rabies, DHPP, Bordetella for dogs; rabies/FVRCP for cats) on file before the stay is confirmed.
- Honor the vet’s timing — Many facilities require Bordetella/kennel-cough vaccination given enough days ahead per the vet’s guidance; defer the "is it current" call to the records, not staff judgment.
- Confirm spay/neuter & age policy — Apply the facility’s written spay-neuter and minimum-age rules (commonly for group play) and flag any exception for owner-vet documentation.
- Send the intake/health form — Email the intake and health-history form and request it back completed before arrival, with the booking deposit/cancellation policy.
- Build the pet file — Create the pet’s record with all forms, vaccine proof, and any flagged health/behavior notes attached.
- Confirm in writing — Send a written confirmation listing dates, what to bring, the drop-off window, and any outstanding items still required before arrival.
Quality check before you finish
- Open, correctly sized run confirmed for all dates.
- Vet-signed vaccination proof received and filed.
- Spay-neuter/age policy applied or exception documented.
- Intake/health form returned and complete.
- Owner contact and emergency contact captured.
- Deposit/cancellation terms acknowledged.
- Pet file created with all documents attached.
This is a free, source-anchored standard operating procedure (SOP) you can print and hand to staff. It documents the work sequence for a Pet Boarding & Daycare business — not safety or regulatory rulings, which defer to the cited authorities, the applicable code, and your own health-and-safety plan. Open the tool above to print it, toggle ink-saver, or (with a free ToolFluency Business account) edit it to match your own workflow.
Sources
- IBPSA — Boarding & Pet Services Booking Standards (ibpsa.com)
- AVMA — Spay/Neuter & Companion-Animal Policy (avma.org)
- PetSmart PetsHotel — Vaccination & Form Requirements (example) (petsmart.com)
About Free Booking & Vaccination SOP for Pet Boarding
Free printable booking & vaccination SOP: take reservations, confirm space, and require vet-signed vaccination proof and intake forms before arrival.
How to use
- Read the full procedure top to bottom before the work — the SOP runs in order and each step builds on the last.
- Toggle Ink-saver (black & white) for a cheaper mono print for the binder; leave it off for the full-color version.
- Click Print SOP to print or save as PDF. Print one per crew, laminate it for the binder, or attach it to the job in your scheduling system.
- Train new hires on it and have staff sign off. Found something out of date? Use the feedback link — flagged SOPs are re-researched against the source list.
Frequently asked questions
What vaccinations should we require before boarding?
Require veterinarian-signed proof of current vaccinations — for dogs commonly rabies, DHPP & Bordetella, and for cats rabies & FVRCP. Which vaccines are "current" is the owner’s vet’s call, not the facility’s.
Can we accept a pet whose form isn’t finished?
No — confirm space, vaccine proof, and a completed intake/health form before the stay is approved so staff have the owner, vet, and emergency details on hand at arrival.
Part of ToolFluency’s library of free online tools for Printables. No account needed, no data leaves your device.