Check-In & Intake Assessment: the full procedure
At drop-off, verify the owner, emergency contact, and vet; collect the signed boarding agreement and veterinary-treatment authorization; capture feeding/medication instructions; do a quick temperament & health note; and label all belongings.
- Applies to: Check-in / kennel attendant.
- Frequency: Every check-in.
- Scope: Operational intake only. Any health observation is a note to refer to the owner’s veterinarian — staff do not diagnose, and all care authority comes from the owner’s signed forms and the pet’s vet.
What you need
- Boarding agreement & vet-treatment authorization
- Intake / health form
- Belongings tags / labels
- Emergency-contact & vet sheet
- Pet file
The procedure, step by step
- Verify owner & contacts — Confirm the owner’s identity and record/verify the emergency contact and the pet’s veterinarian name and phone.
- Collect signed agreement — Get the signed boarding agreement and the veterinary-treatment authorization (including the dollar limit and what to do if the owner can’t be reached).
- Capture feeding instructions — Write down the owner’s exact feeding plan — food type, amount, schedule, and any restrictions — in the pet’s record.
- Capture medication instructions — Record any medications with the owner’s written authorization, dose, timing, and "with/without food," and confirm meds are in original labeled packaging.
- Temperament & health note — Make a brief, non-diagnostic note of the pet’s demeanor and any visible condition (limping, hot spots, etc.) and flag anything to refer to the owner’s vet.
- Label belongings — Tag food, bedding, toys, leash, and bowls with the pet’s name and log them on the belongings list.
- Confirm group suitability — Note size/temperament so play-group staff can place the pet safely (or mark "individual only").
- File & photo — Attach all signed forms to the pet file and take an arrival photo for identification and the stay report.
Quality check before you finish
- Owner identity and emergency contact verified.
- Veterinarian name and phone on file.
- Boarding agreement signed.
- Vet-treatment authorization signed with a limit.
- Feeding & medication instructions recorded in writing.
- All belongings labeled and logged.
- Temperament/health note captured; vet referral flagged if needed.
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 — Intake, Agreement & Emergency-Contact Practices (ibpsa.com)
- Fear Free — Low-Stress Intake & Temperament (fearfree.com)
- Boarding Agreement / Vet-Treatment Authorization Templates (pandadoc.com)
About Free Check-In & Intake SOP for Pet Boarding
Free printable check-in SOP: verify owner, vet & emergency contact, collect signed agreement & vet authorization, log feeding/meds, and label belongings.
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
Why do we need a veterinary-treatment authorization at check-in?
It gives written permission — with a spending limit and the owner’s vet on file — so the facility can get the pet care quickly if the owner can’t be reached. The pet’s vet always directs the actual treatment.
Should staff assess a pet’s health at intake?
Only as a brief, non-diagnostic note (demeanor, anything visible). Staff don’t diagnose — any concern is documented and referred to the owner’s veterinarian.
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