Pet boarding is a frequent occurrence during holidays, and many problems don't arise on the day of boarding but rather from insufficient pre-departure preparation. To help you complete all key tasks within a limited timeframe, we've compiled an actionable pre-boarding checklist. We recommend completing this 24 hours before departure; don't leave everything to the last hour.
The first category is Identity and Basic Information: Pet's basic information (name, age, weight, allergy history), a summary of recent health status, emergency contact person, and information on frequently visited veterinarians. The second category is Recent Health Events: Any vomiting, diarrhea, decreased appetite, skin abnormalities, coughing, or changes in behavior in the past two weeks; if so, please include a timeline and treatment records. The third category is Care Schedule: The last time deworming, vaccinations, grooming, and nail trimming were performed; are there any due dates within the boarding period?
The fourth category is Diet and Feeding Instructions: Brand, feeding amount, feeding frequency, prohibited foods, and rules for changing food. We suggest writing this in concise, actionable statements, such as "Twice a day, morning and evening, X grams each time, not to be fed with Y treats." The fifth category is behavior and habits: such as whether the dog is shy, exhibits food guarding behavior, is sensitive to unfamiliar dogs/cats, and barks easily at night. The sixth category is medication information: whether the dog is taking medication, the name of the medication, frequency, and precautions.
The seventh category is emergency rules: which situations require immediate contact, and which situations allow for observation before feedback. The eighth category is accompanying items: commonly used food, familiar toys/mats, collar and leash, necessary medications and instructions. The ninth category is handover confirmation: confirm the environment, activity arrangements, and video feedback frequency upon arrival at the facility. The tenth category is post-boarding observation: for the first 48 hours after returning home, focus on appetite, bowel movements, sleep, and overall well-being; add a "Post-Boarding Observation Record" if necessary.
Why is it recommended to include these in the platform record? Because you may need to prepare repeatedly during holidays; a checklist significantly reduces cognitive burden. You can copy the previous template before boarding and only update the changes for this time, which is more efficient than thinking on the spot. Furthermore, when problems arise, you can quickly trace back whether it was due to insufficient preparation, environmental changes, or fluctuations in the dog's condition.
We recommend using a consistent format in the title, such as "XXX | Pre-boarding Checklist | May Day 2026". This makes subsequent searches easier and allows for comparisons across years. You can also add a sentence at the end of the text titled "Key Points to Focus On This Time," such as "Nighttime separation anxiety," "Slow eating," and "Paw wiping after being outside." This kind of one-sentence summary is very useful in actual communication.
Finally, a reminder: If your pet exhibits obvious abnormalities before boarding (persistent vomiting and diarrhea, significant lethargy, difficulty breathing, etc.), you should prioritize veterinary evaluation and do not proceed directly to the boarding process. The platform will continue to improve its scenario-based checklist templates to make "preparation" easier, more feasible, and more conducive to your long-term accumulation of reusable experience.