Boarding Vaccination Records and Check-in: A Safer Admin Process

Set the policy before requesting documents

Tell owners which records you need, how recent they must be and who reviews them. A single “vaccinated” tick loses useful detail: the type of record, date, expiry and reviewer may matter. Avoid publishing a universal rule if your locations or services differ.

• Give the owner a clear list of required documents and an early submission deadline.
• Record each document against the correct pet, including vaccine or record type and expiry where relevant.
• Define who can accept an exception and how the decision is documented.
• Provide a route for an owner to ask what to do if a record is missing or appears out of date.

Review ahead of arrival

Check records at the time of booking and again before arrival if the stay is later or crosses an expiry date. Avoid leaving the entire review to the front desk during the busiest check in window. Build a manual escalation path for uncertain or inconsistent information.

• Compare the pet’s name and record details with the booking; two pets in one household can have similar documents.
• If a stay crosses a relevant expiry, resolve the issue before confirming the care plan.
• Send a specific request for the missing item, rather than a generic “update your profile” reminder.
• Do not treat an uploaded image as verified merely because a file exists.

Complete the care handover

At check-in, confirm the dates, pickup contact, feeding or medication instructions, and any recent change the owner has shared. Make sure the right staff can find these details when they need them.

• Reconfirm emergency contact and the person authorised to collect the pet.
• Record belongings and any individual care instructions in the relevant pet or booking context.
• Agree what will happen if the owner is delayed or the pet’s needs change.
• In Collar, demonstrate pet documents and vaccine expiry information alongside booking, forms and staff access.

Audit the process after the stay

Review how often bookings reached check in with missing paperwork and which messages actually prompted resolution. A process that creates repeated late chases needs earlier instructions or a clearer upload path, not simply more reminders.

• Sample completed stays for correct pet association and documented review.
• Track late submissions separately from genuine policy exceptions.
• Keep customer information private and apply the business’s retention policy.
• Update the booking form when staff repeatedly need to explain the same requirement.

Prevent the document check from becoming a check-in crisis

Collect required documents when the stay is requested, then review them against your current policy before arrival. A stored image is not proof that a requirement is met: staff must check the right pet, dates, legibility and any relevant local rules. Make the owner’s next action specific and give enough time to resolve an issue with their veterinary practice.

• Write the business’s own document policy and review it when professional guidance changes.
• Separate uploaded, reviewed and accepted states so staff do not infer approval from attachment alone.
• Restrict access to sensitive health information and define retention with your privacy obligations.
• Plan an escalation route for missing or unclear records; software does not make veterinary decisions.

Checklist

• Publish a branch specific document policy.
• Review the correct pet record ahead of arrival.
• Escalate uncertain documents to a responsible person.
• Confirm care instructions at check in.