Pet Sitter Emergency Handoff Checklist | Pet Cost Planning Tools

Quick answer: before leaving a pet with a sitter, boarding facility, family member or clinic, write down who can make decisions if you cannot be reached, how to reach you and a backup, and which regular and emergency clinics to contact. Confirm the care instructions and any authorization requirements with the provider and veterinary clinic before the handoff.

Reviewed November 3, 2026. Method: this printable worksheet organizes the information AVMA recommends sharing with an authorized emergency agent. It is a planning record, not a treatment plan, legal form, or substitute for forms required by a caregiver or veterinary clinic.

Pet and trip details

Pet name and species Identification or record location Care dates and time zone Where the pet will stay

Owner and backup contacts

Owner name and primary phone Alternate way to reach owner Backup contact name and phone Backup contact availability or instructions

Caregiver and emergency decision-maker

Caregiver or facility name and phone Authorized decision-maker name and phone Who has final decision-making authority if contacts disagree? Provider’s required authorization form or process

Discuss the scope of any authorization directly with the person you choose and the veterinary clinic. Record the limits and preferences you have agreed with them, including decisions that require your direct consent. This worksheet does not grant authority or determine what a clinic will accept.

Owner-confirmed emergency decision limits or preferences

Regular and emergency veterinary clinics

Regular clinic name, phone and address Regular clinic after-hours instructions Emergency clinic name, phone and address Clinic paperwork or payment arrangements confirmed

Ask each clinic what records, signatures, authorization and payment arrangements it requires before someone else can bring your pet in. Do not put full card numbers or account passwords in this worksheet.

Care instructions confirmed with the provider

Copy the provider-confirmed routine and logistics below, or note where the provider can find the written instructions. For medication or health questions, use the instructions from your veterinary team; this page does not supply treatment directions.

Feeding and supplies location Medication or health information location Routine, access, and handling notes Other agreed instructions and questions

Before handing over care

The caregiver has current owner and backup contact details.
The caregiver knows which person is the emergency decision-maker and how to reach them.
The regular and emergency clinic details and after-hours instructions were checked.
The clinics and provider confirmed what authorization documents and records they need.
The caregiver confirmed the care instructions, supplies, access arrangements, and any unresolved questions.
A copy was shared with the caregiver and stored where the owner can retrieve it.

Date last checked

Source and limits

The AVMA recommends choosing an authorized agent for emergencies when an owner cannot be reached, sharing owner and clinic contacts, discussing decision limits and payment arrangements, putting the plan in writing, and checking documentation requirements with the veterinarian or emergency clinic. Follow the actual provider and clinic process for your situation.

American Veterinary Medical Association: Ensuring your pet is protected when you're away — emergency-agent planning, written authorization, contact details, care information and clinic requirements.

This checklist does not give medical, legal, or treatment advice; authorize care; collect or transmit entries; or save them on a server. Confirm that a separate provider or clinic form is complete when required. For travel planning, see the official pet travel guide. To organize a sitter’s quoted trip costs, use the pet-sitting trip cost worksheet.

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