Boarding Agreement
What Is a Boarding Agreement?
A boarding agreement is a written, signed contract between you and a pet owner. It’s the plan that covers the rules, responsibilities, and emergency care for a pet’s stay.
Think of it like a summer camp permission slip. It tells parents what their baby (or fur baby) will do, lays ground rules, and shares safety plans. That way, everyone’s clear ahead of time and can just enjoy the experience.
Using a dog boarding agreement consistently protects your business, your client relationships, and your furry campers in these key ways:
- Clarity in emergencies: Pre-approved vet care and payment authorization save time when every minute counts
- Fewer disputes: Clear terms for pickups, cancellations, and fees help prevent misunderstandings and dissatisfaction
- Better risk control: Behavior, vaccine, and group-play disclosures reduce surprises to protect your staff and other pets in your care
- Supports insurance: Strong records and incident logs show you took reasonable precautions if a claim ever arises
- Builds client confidence: Written agreements reassure clients that their pets’ safety and comfort are top priority
What Should a Boarding Agreement Include?
A strong dog boarding agreement contract spells out all the key details before a pet checks in, including:
- Pet & owner info: Microchip, breed, age, and emergency contacts
- Health: Vaccines and dates (rabies, distemper/parvo, and Bordetella vaccination are standard), flea/tick status, and any medications with dosing instructions
- Behavior: Bite history, triggers, and group play permission
- Care instructions: Feeding schedule, exercise plan, enrichment needs, and crate or kennel consent
- Emergency plan: Consent for vet care, preferred clinic, spending authorization cap, and transport permissions
- Liability & risk: Acknowledgment of the possibility for communicable disease exposure, stress injuries, and dog-to-dog interactions
- Payments & policies: Rates, late pickup fees, deposits, cancellations, and abandonment terms
- Media & property: Photo/video release (for posting pet photos or videos) and policies on personal items (like toys and leashes)
- Signatures & dates: Identify who can make decisions and certify that client info is accurate
Pro tip: Pet Care Insurance (PCI) offers free templates as an example to help you personalize your own pet liability waiver and media release form. An attorney can help you make sure your final contract follows state and local laws and fits your business perfectly.
What Are a Boarder’s and a Pet Owner’s Responsibilities?
Boarding agreements are about clarity and shared expectations. That starts by defining and agreeing upon who’s responsible for what. If you and your client are on the same page from the start, everyone can focus on excellent care instead of getting bogged down in fine print.
Your agreement should state these things clearly:
- What your client is responsible for: Truthfully disclosing pet behavior and health history, providing updated vaccine or medication information, and authorizing emergency care
- What you’re responsible for: Providing safe care, following the written plan you both agreed on, and contacting the pet owner in emergencies
- What you both agree to: Pets may experience minor stress or illness in group settings, and accidents may happen when pets interact
- Hold harmless and indemnification clauses: This includes language in your agreement that states clients accept normal pet care risks and won’t hold you responsible for issues outside your control (like allergic reactions or contagious illnesses).
A dog boarding agreement complements your insurance, but doesn’t replace it. If an accident leads to a claim or lawsuit, your insurer may be able to use your boarding agreement to help in your defense or show that you took reasonable steps to avoid risk.
Pro tip: Before each stay, check for missing signatures, outdated vaccination records, or contact info that needs updating. These common slip-ups can cause care delays or weaken your legal position if you have to rely on that document later.
Big Takeaway
A dog boarding agreement contract keeps expectations clear from check-in to pickup and acts as extra protection if something goes wrong. No one loves paperwork, but everyone loves a happy, safe pet and a smooth boarding experience.
Keep Sniffing Around
- Animal Bailee Coverage
- General Liability
- Hold Harmless / Indemnification
- Incident Report
- Certificate of Insurance (COI)
- Bite History
- Care, Custody, and Control (CCC)
Kyle Jude | Program Manager
Kyle Jude is the Program Manager for PCI, where he helps design and maintain liability coverage specifically for pet professionals. With 10+ years of insurance industry experience, he works closely with carriers, underwriters, and compliance teams to ensure PCI coverage stays accurate, responsive, and relevant to real-world risks. At home, he puts that same expertise to use wrangling his four beloved dogs
Kyle Jude is the Program Manager for PCI, where he helps design and maintain liability coverage specifically for pet professionals. With 10+ years of insurance industry experience, he works closely with carriers, underwriters, and compliance teams to ensure PCI coverage stays accurate, responsive, and relevant to real-world risks. At home, he puts that same expertise to use wrangling his four beloved dogs