Pet Boarding & Daycare Registration

About this template

This Pet Boarding & Daycare Registration form is designed for Swiss Tierhotels, Tierpensionen, and Hundtagesstätten (dog daycares). It collects everything a facility needs to care safely for a pet in the owner's absence: owner and emergency contact details, pet identification (microchip, breed, age), vaccination status, health conditions, medications, feeding schedule, and a liability and emergency treatment authorisation. All data is stored end-to-end encrypted in compliance with the Swiss Federal Act on Data Protection (nFADP).

What this form collects

• Owner name, address, and contact details
• Emergency contact (person to call if owner is unreachable)
• Pet details: name, species, breed, age, sex, microchip/tattoo number
• Current vaccination status and certificate details
• Known health conditions and diagnoses
• Current medications, dosing instructions, and storage requirements
• Feeding schedule, food type, portion size, and dietary restrictions
• Behavioural characteristics (other animals, children, leash behaviour)
• Preferred veterinarian and emergency treatment authorisation
• Liability acknowledgment and owner signature

How to use this template

Why pet boarding facilities need a structured registration form

A pet boarding registration form is the foundation of safe and professional animal care. Without it, a boarding facility operates with incomplete information: they may not know that the dog is on daily medication, has a food allergy, or becomes aggressive with unfamiliar dogs. These are not administrative details — they are safety-critical facts.

From a commercial perspective, a structured digital registration form also signals professionalism. Pet owners in Switzerland often have close emotional and financial relationships with their animals. A facility that has a systematic, documented onboarding process — rather than relying on verbal handover — creates confidence that the animal will be cared for properly.

Swiss regulations for pet boarding facilities

In Switzerland, commercial pet boarding and animal daycare operations are regulated under the Tierschutzgesetz (TSchG, SR 455) and the Tierschutzverordnung (TSchV, SR 455.1). Key regulatory requirements for dog boarding and daycare include:

• Approval requirement: commercial boarding facilities that keep animals for third parties must obtain a cantonal operating licence (Bewilligung) from the cantonal veterinary authority.
• Vaccination requirements: proof of valid rabies vaccination is typically required for dogs and cats staying in communal boarding environments. Kennel cough (Zwingerhusten / Bordetella) vaccination is commonly recommended or required by facilities themselves.
• Space and welfare standards: minimum cage / housing dimensions and group composition rules apply under TSchV.
• Record-keeping: facilities are expected to maintain records of the animals in their care, including health status and owner contact information.
• Emergency care: owners must pre-authorise emergency veterinary treatment, as boarding staff may need to obtain emergency care when the owner is unreachable.

What information a boarding registration form must include

For safe and compliant boarding, the registration form must cover five areas:

• Identification — microchip number, tattoo, age, breed, and sex. Microchips are mandatory for dogs in Switzerland (TSchV Art. 17). A microchip number allows the vet to pull up vaccination and medical records in an emergency.
• Health status — all current diagnoses and chronic conditions. Even conditions that seem stable can deteriorate under the stress of a new environment.
• Medications — every medication, including supplements, flea/tick treatments, and topical applications. Dosing instructions, timing, and storage requirements are all relevant.
• Feeding — food brand and type, daily portion, feeding times, allergies. Dietary errors can cause serious gastrointestinal distress, particularly in dogs with sensitive digestion.
• Behaviour — reaction to other animals, children, strangers, and unfamiliar environments. History of aggression, anxiety, or escape attempts must be disclosed.

Emergency veterinary authorisation: why it matters

In a boarding or daycare environment, the owner is typically unreachable (travelling, at work). If a pet becomes ill or is injured, the boarding operator must be able to authorise emergency veterinary treatment without waiting for owner contact. Without a pre-signed emergency authorisation, the operator may face legal exposure for either acting without authorisation or delaying treatment.

The registration form should capture: the owner's preferred vet, authorisation for emergency treatment up to a defined cost threshold, and consent to contact the emergency vet service if the preferred vet is unavailable. A signed form provides the documentation needed to act quickly and confidently in an emergency.

Data protection for boarding facility client records

Owner data — names, addresses, phone numbers — is personal data under the nFADP. For a boarding facility, the practical obligations are: store client records securely (not in a shared paper folder or unencrypted spreadsheet), define a retention period after the last stay (2–3 years is common), and be able to delete a client's data on request. End-to-end encryption is the simplest technical measure that demonstrates proportionate security for the data involved.

Common mistakes in pet boarding intake processes

• Not requiring proof of vaccination before first check-in — creates risk for the facility and other animals.
• Verbal-only medication briefings — caregivers change shifts; a written form ensures continuity.
• No emergency authorisation — leaves the facility legally exposed and the animal without timely care.
• Missing the emergency contact — owners are not always reachable; a second contact is essential.
• Never updating the registration — returning clients' health status changes; update at each annual re-registration.

Frequently asked questions

Is a registration form legally required for pet boarding in Switzerland?

The TSchG and cantonal operating licences impose record-keeping obligations on commercial boarding operators. While no specific regulation mandates a registration form per se, meeting the animal welfare standards, vaccination requirements, and the duty of care owed to animals in a professional boarding context all but requires formal documentation. Many cantonal veterinary authorities review documentation as part of facility inspections.

What vaccinations should a boarding facility require?

For dogs, the minimum standard for boarding facilities in Switzerland is a current rabies vaccination (mandatory by law) and a DHPPi vaccination (distemper, hepatitis, parvovirus, parainfluenza). Bordetella (kennel cough) is strongly recommended for communal boarding environments. For cats, a current cat flu (rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia) and rabies vaccination is standard. Facilities should specify requirements clearly in their terms and in the registration form.

Can the registration form serve as the boarding contract?

The registration form collects animal and owner information; it is not a commercial contract. A separate boarding agreement (Pensionsvertrag) covers the services provided, fees, cancellation terms, and liability limits. Both are needed — the registration provides the operational data; the contract establishes the commercial relationship.

How long should boarding registration records be kept?

A retention period of 2–3 years after the last stay is reasonable for client data. If the facility was involved in a veterinary emergency or incident during the stay, retain the records for the applicable Swiss statute of limitations (10 years for tort claims). Define the retention period in your privacy policy and communicate it to clients at registration.

For veterinary forms, see also our New Pet Registration, Surgery Consent, and Euthanasia Consent templates on Schweizerform.