How should a kennel check vaccination records?
Check every booking against a written policy before the pet arrives. A checklist, a vaccination policy template and the red flags staff should catch.
Published
Check every booking against a written vaccination policy, before the pet arrives. For each certificate, confirm five things: it is the right pet, it shows the vaccines your policy requires, they were given long enough before arrival, they are still current on the last night of the stay, and the certificate came from a vet clinic. Anything that fails goes back to the owner while there is still time to fix it.
What should staff check on each certificate?
| Check | What to look for | Common problem |
|---|---|---|
| Right pet | Name, breed, and microchip number if shown | Certificate for the owner's other dog |
| Right vaccines | Dogs: usually C5, or C3 plus kennel cough. Cats: F3 | A C3 with no kennel cough cover |
| Given long enough ago | Date given is at least your minimum (often 14 days) before arrival | Booster given two days ago |
| Current for the whole stay | Due date falls after the departure date, not just the arrival date | Due date passes halfway through a two-week stay |
| From a vet | Clinic name and details, vet's name | Handwritten note with no clinic details |
Why write the policy down?
Because staff will be asked to make judgement calls at 7am on a Saturday, and a written rule is easier to hold than a gut feeling. It also means every owner hears the same answer.
In the ACT, part of it is already written for you. The Animal Welfare (Overnight Animal Boarding Establishments) Mandatory Code of Practice 2021 requires boarded dogs to have a C5 and cats an F3 within the past 12 months, with a current certificate supplied before admission. Other states have their own codes, such as Victoria's Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments. Read the one for your state before you set your rules.
What should a vaccination policy cover?
A workable policy answers six questions:
1. Which vaccines? For example: dogs C5 (or C3 plus a kennel cough vaccine), cats F3. 2. How long before arrival? Many kennels use 14 days. Vetwest recommends pets are fully vaccinated two to four weeks before boarding. 3. Current until when? Through the departure date is the safer rule. 4. Do you accept three-year certificates? See the next section. 5. Puppies and kittens? For example, two weeks after the final vaccine in the course. 6. When do you need the certificate? At booking, a set number of days before arrival, or at check-in.
Should I accept a three-year vaccination certificate?
Decide in advance, and write it down. The Australian Veterinary Association says vaccines with extended duration of immunity, such as triennial vaccines, may be used for core vaccination in adult dogs and cats. It also notes that many non-core vaccines, like the kennel cough components, need a yearly booster, and names upcoming boarding as a reason a vet may choose annual core vaccination instead.
In practice, that means a dog can have a current three-year core vaccine and a separate yearly kennel cough vaccine, on two different certificates. If your policy says "C5 within 12 months", staff need to know whether that combination counts.
When should staff check?
- At booking: ask for the certificate and check it against the policy.
- A week before arrival: re-check anything that was missing or due to expire.
- At check-in: a quick look, not a first look. Turning a pet away at the door is the outcome everyone wants to avoid.
How do we say no politely?
Say it early, and say what fixes it. For example:
> Hi Sam, thanks for booking Milo in. His kennel cough vaccine is due on the 12th, and he is staying until the 15th. Could you book a booster at least two weeks before he arrives and send us the new certificate? Then he is all set.
How do we keep records?
Keep a copy of each certificate with the booking, not only a note that it was checked. When an owner rebooks next year, you can see at a glance what is due. Your state's code may also set record-keeping rules, so check it.
Can software do the checking?
It can do the repetitive part. Tend Connect lets you set your vaccination policy once (C5, F3, Bordetella or your own rules), and every booking is flagged green, amber or red before arrival. Anything Tend cannot confirm is left for your team to review. When an owner shares their Tend Pass, the records drop straight into the booking, with the original certificate attached. Tend Connect is A$39 a month for one-person businesses and A$99 a month for teams (plus GST), with no Tend fee on payments. See pricing.
Sending owners somewhere helpful? Point them to how long before boarding a dog should be vaccinated and how to share vaccination records with a kennel.
Sources
- ACT Legislation Register, Animal Welfare (Overnight Animal Boarding Establishments) Mandatory Code of Practice 2021
- Business.gov.au (ABLIS), Code of Practice for the Operation of Boarding Establishments, Victoria
- Australian Veterinary Association, Vaccination of dogs and cats
- Vetwest, Boarding your dog or cat and vaccinations
*General guidance, not legal or veterinary advice. Check your state or territory's code of practice and talk to your vet about vaccination questions.*