Pet emergency card: what to include

Put checked contacts in a useful order

Start with the owner, then an agreed local backup, the regular veterinary practice and the current out-of-hours route. Tell the backup contact that you have nominated them and what help they have agreed to provide.

Call each practice or check its current information before the sit. Out-of-hours care may use a different number or location from the daytime practice.

• Owner name and phone number with country code
• Local backup name, role and phone number
• Regular veterinary practice and checked number
• Out-of-hours provider and checked number
• A simple instruction about who to call first

Add only the alerts needed in the first conversation

Include the pet's name, species or type, a short identification note, known allergies and the names of current medication. Keep full medical records and detailed medication instructions in the appropriate separate place.

Add the established carrier or safe-handling note if that helps the sitter act without creating additional risk.

• Pet name and a concise physical description
• Known allergies or another urgent alert
• Current medication names, without changing instructions
• Carrier, lead or safe-transport location
• A known handling boundary the sitter must respect

Keep access codes, passwords and payment details off the card

A card designed to be easy to find should not contain reusable credentials, banking details or a precise public-facing description of where you live. Arrange keys and access through a separate trusted channel.

Place the printed card in an agreed location the sitter can reach quickly without leaving it visible to visitors. Remove or replace it when contacts change.

• No alarm codes or reusable passwords
• No payment-card or banking details
• No key-hiding instructions
• No unnecessary personal or medical history
• No outdated copies in drawers or old handover folders

Make the first action obvious

This fictional example shows the level of detail appropriate for a compact card. It is not an emergency protocol for another pet.

Test the card before the sitter arrives

Read every number back from the finished card and confirm the sitter knows where it will be. Ask them to identify the first and second call they would make.

Use the card alongside complete pet and home instructions. If an urgent health concern arises, contact a veterinary professional rather than relying on a static document alone.