How do I prove my pet's vaccinations for boarding?

Bring a vaccination certificate from your vet showing your pet's name, the vaccine given, the date, and the clinic's signature or stamp. A rabies tag alone is not accepted, because staff cannot look the tag number up. Most kennels want rabies, DHPP, and Bordetella for dogs, and rabies and FVRCP for cats.

How do I get my pet's medical records from my vet?

Email your vet a written request naming your pet, the records you want, and the format. Ask specifically for the clinical history, vaccination certificates, and lab results, because these are stored separately and partial records are common. Most practices send a PDF within a few days, sometimes for a small fee.

What do I do if my rescue pet has no medical history?

Ask the shelter for their full medical file, which usually holds more than the adoption pack. Check the microchip registry for a previous clinic. Then book a vet visit, say there is no history, and start your own record from that date with weight, estimated age, and every vaccine going forward.

Should I keep pet medical records on paper or digitally?

Use both. Keep original signed certificates on paper, because that is the document kennels, groomers, and border officials accept. Keep a digital copy for daily use, because it is searchable, shareable, always with you, and can remind you when a booster is due. Neither format wins on its own.

How do I keep track of medical records for multiple pets?

Give every pet its own record, and never file entries against the household. Record weight at every visit, because parasite treatments are dosed by weight and dosing bands change. Then keep one combined list of what is due next across all pets, since staggered dates are what cause lapses.

Guides

Plain answers to the record-keeping questions pet owners actually ask: proving vaccinations, getting records out of a vet, and starting from nothing.

Boarding
How to prove your pet's vaccinations for boarding
What kennels and groomers actually check, which shots they ask for, and how to have the paperwork ready before drop-off day, even on short notice.
5 min read
Vet records
How to get your pet's medical records from your vet
What to ask for, what a vet clinic can legally charge, and what to do when a practice is slow to hand your pet's records over to you.
6 min read
Rescue
Your rescue pet has no medical history. Now what?
How to build a health record from nothing, what a vet can work out without any paperwork, and what genuinely needs redoing before you relax.
6 min read
Organising
Paper or digital: which is better for pet records?
An honest comparison of paper and digital pet records, including where each one fails, and why most people who have this sorted actually use both.
5 min read
Multi-pet
How to track medical records for more than one pet
Staggered vaccine dates, weight-based dosing, and shared supplies, and how to keep two, three, or more animals straight without mixing them up.
5 min read

Guides

How to prove your pet's vaccinations for boarding

How to get your pet's medical records from your vet

Your rescue pet has no medical history. Now what?

Paper or digital: which is better for pet records?

How to track medical records for more than one pet