Pet records for boarding and daycare — what facilities actually need

Voocie Team · August 14, 2026

You booked the trip. You found the boarding place. You're feeling organized — until the facility emails you a checklist of required records and suddenly you're digging through kitchen drawers for a vaccination card you haven't seen since your dog's puppy shots.

It happens every time. And it always happens the day before drop-off.

Here's what boarding facilities and daycares actually need, why they need it, and how to have it ready in minutes instead of hours.

The records most facilities require

Requirements vary by facility, but this covers what nearly every reputable boarding kennel and daycare asks for:

1. Proof of core vaccinations

This is the non-negotiable. Every facility will ask for proof that your pet is current on core vaccines:

• Dogs: Rabies, DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus), and bordetella (kennel cough). Bordetella is technically "lifestyle" in veterinary terms, but it's universally required by boarding facilities — expect to be turned away without it.
• Cats: Rabies and FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia). Some facilities also require FeLV testing.

The key detail: facilities need proof from your vet — a certificate or record showing the vaccination date and when the next one is due. A handwritten note or a text to yourself doesn't count.

2. Bordetella timeline

This one catches people off guard. Most facilities require the bordetella vaccine to be given at least 48 hours before but no more than 6–12 months before the boarding stay. If your dog got it yesterday, you may be too early. If it was 13 months ago, you're too late.

Check your facility's specific window. Some accept the oral form immediately; the injectable version usually needs at least two days to take effect.

3. Flea and tick prevention

Most boarding facilities require proof that your pet is on current flea and tick prevention. They don't want one pet introducing parasites to a building full of animals — and honestly, that's reasonable.

What counts as "proof" varies: some accept a note from your vet, others want to see the product name and date administered. If your pet is on a monthly topical or chewable, knowing the brand and last dose date is usually enough.

4. Spay/neuter status

Many facilities require pets to be spayed or neutered, especially for group daycare. Intact animals may be accepted at some boarding kennels but typically can't participate in group play. Your vet records should include this — it's usually noted in the surgical history.

5. Emergency contact and vet information

Every facility will ask for your vet's name and phone number, plus an emergency contact who can authorize treatment if they can't reach you. This isn't technically a "record," but it's part of the intake paperwork and it's the thing people forget most often.

6. Medication and allergy documentation

If your pet takes any medications — even supplements — the facility needs to know the drug name, dosage, frequency, and administration instructions. Some require the medication to arrive in the original pharmacy-labeled container.

Allergies (food or environmental) should be documented too, especially food allergies that affect what the facility feeds your pet.

What some facilities also ask for

Beyond the universal requirements, premium or cautious facilities may request:

• Canine influenza vaccine (H3N2/H3N8): Increasingly required in urban areas and regions with recent outbreaks. This caught many owners off guard when it became standard at New York and Chicago facilities a few years ago.
• Fecal test results: Some facilities want a negative fecal test within the last 6–12 months to confirm your pet doesn't have intestinal parasites.
• Temperament assessment or trial day: Not a document, but many daycares require an in-person evaluation before accepting your pet for group play.
• Health certificate: Required for interstate boarding at some facilities, or when crossing state lines with your pet. Your vet issues this — it's a snapshot confirming your pet is healthy and vaccinated.

The real problem isn't the list — it's finding everything

Most pet owners know their pet is vaccinated. The problem is proving it. Vaccination records live in different places depending on where and when your pet got them:

• The breeder or shelter you got your pet from (puppy/kitten shots)
• Your first vet (if you've since switched)
• Your current vet
• A low-cost vaccine clinic (if you went for rabies or bordetella boosters)
• A pet store vet event (yes, those are real records too)

If your pet has seen more than one vet — which is most pets — you might be making multiple phone calls to piece together a complete picture. And vet offices aren't always fast with records requests, especially during busy summer months.

How far ahead should you start?

The ideal timeline:

• 4 weeks before: Check your pet's vaccination status. If anything is due or overdue, schedule a vet visit. Some vaccines need a booster series if they've lapsed, which takes time.
• 2 weeks before: Gather all records in one place. Call your vet for any missing paperwork. Confirm with the facility exactly what they need and in what format (paper vs. email vs. uploaded to their portal).
• 48 hours before: Final check. Bordetella given in the right window? Flea prevention current? Emergency contacts updated? Medications packed in labeled containers?

Starting four weeks out sounds like a lot, but it's really just one vet call and one afternoon of organizing. The alternative — a panicked day-before scramble — is how people end up with their boarding reservation cancelled.

What happens if your records aren't ready

Most facilities will turn you away. Not because they're being difficult, but because they're liable for every animal in their care. Accepting a dog without a current bordetella vaccine, for example, risks a kennel cough outbreak that could affect dozens of pets.

Some facilities offer "last-minute" vaccination through a partner vet, but this is stressful for your pet and usually costs more than a regular vet visit. It's also not available everywhere.

A few facilities will accept expired records with a signed waiver, but this is increasingly rare. The trend is toward stricter documentation, not looser.

Cats and boarding: a slightly different picture

Cat boarding requirements are generally simpler — rabies and FVRCP are the core requirements, and most cat-specific boarding facilities (catteries) don't require bordetella or canine influenza.

However, FeLV (feline leukemia virus) testing is common for cat boarding, especially in shared-space facilities. FeLV spreads through close contact, and a responsible cattery will want to see a recent negative test result.

For more on keeping cat health records organized, see our guide on how to keep cat health records organized.

The one-time fix that makes this permanent

The reason people go through this scramble every single time they board their pet is that the records stay scattered. You solve it once for this trip, then six months later you do it all again because you can't find where you put the printout.

The permanent fix is straightforward: get everything into one place and keep it updated. That can be a Google Drive folder, a dedicated app, or even a labeled envelope in your filing cabinet. The format matters less than the habit.

What to centralize:

• Current vaccination certificates (with expiration dates)
• Flea/tick prevention record (product name, last dose date)
• Spay/neuter documentation
• Current medications list
• Known allergies
• Your vet's name, address, and phone number
• Most recent fecal test results (if available)

If you want to go digital, Voocie lets you upload vet PDFs and keeps vaccine and prescription dates in one timeline — so the next time a facility asks for records, you can share them from your phone in about thirty seconds. But even a well-organized folder works. The point is having a system.

For the full approach to consolidating scattered records, our guide on pulling together your pet's scattered vet records walks through the process step by step.

Quick reference: common facility requirements