Boarding has a familiar last-minute pattern. You are about to leave, the bags are packed, and the front desk asks for proof of vaccines. Now you are searching your email and your camera roll while a line forms behind you.
It does not have to go that way. A little prep turns drop-off into a non-event.
What boarding facilities usually ask for
Requirements vary by facility, so always check with yours first. That said, the common asks are predictable. For dogs, most facilities want proof of rabies, the core combination vaccine often listed as DHPP, and Bordetella, which protects against one of the main causes of kennel cough. For cats, the usual asks are rabies and the core combination vaccine often listed as FVRCP. Some facilities also want a recent exam or a clean health check.
Two details catch people off guard. Bordetella is often required within the last six to twelve months, which is a shorter window than rabies. And many facilities want vaccines given at least ten to fourteen days before the stay, so the protection has time to take effect. If your pet is due, book that vet visit well ahead of the trip, not the week of.
To be clear, this is about having the paperwork ready, not medical advice. Your veterinarian decides what your pet actually needs and when. MyPetVault just helps you keep the proof organized and easy to send.
Get the proof before drop-off day
If you do not already have the documents, ask your vet for the current rabies certificate and full vaccination history. Mention your travel date so the clinic understands the deadline. If writing that first email is the hard part, we built a free tool that turns a few taps into a ready-to-send email or call script.
Try the free record-request tools
Keep it ready for next time
Once the records arrive, upload them into the MyPetVault mobile app, let Smart Scan help pull out the dates and details, review what it found, and save everything under the right pet. The original files stay available, so when a facility asks, you are sending the actual certificate, not a blurry photo.
Plus users can keep rabies and other key records one tap away through the Vault Card, and email a pet's full record straight to a boarding facility when they ask. That is the difference between dreading drop-off and handing it over in seconds.
A simple boarding records checklist
Before your next stay, have these ready: the current rabies certificate, core vaccine records (DHPP for dogs, FVRCP for cats), Bordetella proof if your facility requires it, any recent exam they ask for, medication names and instructions if your pet is on anything, feeding and care notes, your contact information while you are away, and your regular vet's contact in case of an emergency.
Do that once and the records are ready for every facility after this one, not just the place that already has your file. Which, if you have ever felt stuck with one pet hotel, is the whole point.