Pet boarding checklist: how to prepare your dog or cat

Petroo guides · updated 22 October 2026

A calm, well-prepared pet settles into boarding much faster. Use this checklist in the weeks before your trip, whether it's a festival break, a family wedding or a work trip.

3 to 4 weeks before

• Book early for festivals and holidays. Durga Puja, Diwali, Christmas, New Year and the summer holidays fill up first.
• Check vaccinations. Make sure your pet's vaccines are up to date; some need time to protect your pet after they're given. See vaccinations for boarding.
• Deworming and tick and flea treatment. Keep these current so your pet stays comfortable and doesn't bring anything home.
• Choose the right kind of stay for your pet's personality: a busy boarding home, a quieter home stay or day care. See boarding vs creche vs home stay.

Choosing a stay

• Look at the photos of where pets sleep, eat and play, and how much outdoor space there is.
• Check the house rules, the pet sizes accepted and how many pets they take at once.
• Look for features that matter to your pet: AC rooms in summer, CCTV or a live cam, a vet on call, pickup and drop.
• Read reviews from pet parents who have completed stays, and check the cancellation policy.

What to pack

• Your pet's usual food, portioned per meal if you can. A sudden change of food is a common cause of tummy upsets.
• Medicines with a written schedule: what, how much and when.
• Collar or harness and leash, with an ID tag carrying your phone number.
• Something that smells of home: a blanket, bed or favourite toy.
• The vaccination record (on Petroo you upload it once and it goes with every booking).

Tell the host

• Feeding times and amounts, treats allowed, and any food allergies.
• How your pet behaves with other dogs, cats, strangers and children, and anything that scares them (fireworks, thunder, loud noises).
• Walk routine and toilet habits.
• Your vet's name and number, and an emergency contact who can make decisions if you can't be reached.

Drop-off and pick-up

• Keep goodbyes short and calm; long goodbyes can make pets anxious.
• Arrive on time, and tell the host or Petroo early if your plans change.
• For the first day back home, expect your pet to be tired or extra thirsty, which is normal after an exciting stay.

This guide is general information to help you plan, not veterinary advice. Your vet knows your pet best: check with them about vaccines, medicines and anything specific to your pet.

More guides: Vaccinations for boarding · Boarding vs creche vs home stay · Pet boarding cost