Rawesome Vets · Internal Staff Protocol

Boarding Protocol

Nursing Team Kennel Hand

Boarding Reception

Version 1.0 · May 2026 · For internal staff use

Boarding errors at booking and admission cause the most problems. If you take a shortcut on the checklist, the issue surfaces during the stay or at discharge — and it's harder to fix then. Use the checklist every time, no exceptions.

Hard Rules — Non-Negotiable

No vaccination certificate, no boarding. Required: C5 (dogs) or F3 (cats), within the last 12 months. Must be on a vaccination certificate from a registered vet — not a verbal claim.
No client signature, no boarding. Boarding agreement must be signed before the animal is admitted.
No staff initials, no record. Every section of the admission form must be initialled by the admitting staff member.
We do not board on public holidays. Confirm at booking that the stay does not span a public holiday.

1. Taking the Booking

Most boarding bookings come in by phone. Whether by phone, email, or in person — collect every item below before confirming the booking.

Booking checklist — collect all of this

Client name and current contact number (verify, don't assume the file is up to date)
Patient name, species, breed, age
Drop-off date AND time (within clinic hours only)
Pickup date AND time (within clinic hours only)
Confirm dates do NOT span a public holiday — the clinic is closed and we cannot care for boarders on those days
Vaccination status — C5 / F3 within 12 months. Ask: "Can you bring or send through the vaccination certificate before the stay?"
Feeding — client provides their own food (we do not feed boarders our food unless agreed in writing)
Medications — any meds the patient is on, dose, frequency. Client provides medication labelled with name and instructions
Known issues — anxiety, aggression, escape risk, food guarding, other pets at home
Emergency contact — second contact number in case primary is unreachable
Authorisation level for emergency vet care — what dollar amount can we treat up to without contacting the owner first

Vaccination certificate before the stay

Ask the client to email the certificate to clinic@rawesomevets.com.au before the drop-off. Add a note to the booking: "Vax cert pending" or "Vax cert received [date]". If certificate has not arrived by the morning of drop-off, call the client and remind them — no certificate, no admission.

2. Booking in OpenVPMS

Search the client and patient in OpenVPMS — confirm the file is up to date
Create the boarding appointment for the drop-off date and time
In the appointment notes, record: pickup date/time, vaccination status (received or pending), feeding (own food), medications (yes/no with brief description), known issues
Add a reminder to chase the vaccination certificate if not yet received
Read the booking back to the client to confirm details before hanging up

3. Admission Day

The admission form is the most error-prone step in the entire boarding process. Every section needs to be completed and initialled — no shortcuts.

Admission checklist — every box must be ticked + initialled

Vaccination certificate received and verified — C5/F3 within 12 months. File the certificate with the booking.
Patient weighed — record in OpenVPMS
Visual health check — note any wounds, skin issues, lameness, eye/nose discharge. If anything looks abnormal, get the vet to check before admitting.
Confirm pickup date and time with client — read it back, get them to confirm
Boarding agreement signed by client — including emergency vet care authorisation amount
Food handed over — labelled with patient name, type, and feeding instructions
Medication handed over — labelled with name, dose, frequency, route. Confirm against the booking note.
Belongings recorded — bedding, toys, leash, collar, anything else. Photograph and note in the file.
Kennel allocated and labelled — kennel card with patient name, owner name, dates, feeding, medications
Treatment board updated — patient added with any meds and special instructions
Admitting staff initials on every section above

If the vaccination certificate has not arrived by admission, do not admit. Call the client. They can email it from their phone before leaving. If they cannot, the booking is cancelled — no partial admissions, no "we'll get it later."

4. During the Stay

Boarders are checked at opening and closing rounds — see Opening Shift and End-of-Day Close
Feed according to the owner's instructions — do not substitute food without checking with the owner first
Administer medications as charted — record on the treatment chart with time and initials
Toilet breaks: dogs out 3× daily minimum. Cats: clean litter trays daily.
Kennel cleaned daily — bedding changed if soiled
Note anything unusual on the patient file: not eating, vomiting, diarrhoea, behaviour changes
If anything looks like a medical concern, get the vet to assess

5. Medications for Boarders

Owner-supplied medications go in the medication cabinet labelled with patient name
Add to the treatment board so every shift sees what is due
Check off doses on the treatment chart as you give them — name, time, initials
If a dose is missed, note it and tell the next nurse / call owner if it's a critical medication
Never share medication between boarders — even if it looks identical

6. Discharge

Confirm the pickup is scheduled — check OpenVPMS
Generate the boarding invoice — number of nights, any extras (medications administered, additional services)
Bath the patient if requested at booking (charge for bath added)
Gather all belongings — match to the admission record
Return remaining food and medications
When the client arrives, walk through the invoice and how the stay went
Take full payment before handing over the patient
Note on the file: discharged at [time], invoice paid, belongings returned

7. Late or No-Show Pickup

If the client has not arrived by the agreed pickup time, call them — confirm they are coming and when
If they cannot collect the same day, the patient continues boarding and additional nights are charged
If you cannot reach the client by close of business, call the emergency contact
If neither responds within 24 hours, alert the practice manager

Common Errors — Watch For These

Error	Why it matters	Prevention
No vaccination certificate received	Disease risk to other boarders and hospital patients. Insurance/liability issue.	Chase before drop-off. Refuse admission if not received.
Admission form not initialled	No accountability if something goes wrong. Cannot trace who took responsibility.	Check every section initialled before kennelling the patient.
Pickup date not confirmed at admission	Client and clinic on different pages — leads to disputes and missed pickups.	Read pickup date and time back to the client. Get them to confirm verbally.
Medication handed over without instructions	Missed or wrong doses. Risk to patient.	Confirm dose, frequency, and route in writing before client leaves.
Belongings not recorded	Disputes at discharge over missing items.	List and photograph at admission. Match at discharge.
Public holiday in the boarding period	We are closed — the clinic cannot care for boarders.	Check the booking against the public holiday calendar. Refuse the booking if it spans one.

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