Vaccine readiness checker

Check vaccine readiness

1. Choose your pet Select dog, cat or both.
2. Enter the dates Add each vaccine's expiry date and your pick-up date.
3. Read the to-do list Note anything that expires early or is missing.
4. Send your records Upload them to your account or email them before drop-off.

Most delays at check-in come from a vaccine that expires mid-stay. The checker looks for that, using the kennel's written rules.

What it looks at

For each required vaccine, the checker compares your date with your pick-up date. If a shot expires before you collect your pet, it shows up on the to-do list. Pets must also be at least 16 weeks old before the first day of the stay and arrive free of fleas and ticks.

The influenza booster

Canine influenza covers both H3N2 and H3N8 in one vaccine. The vaccine is recommended but not required to board. If your dog has started the series, a booster is due three to four weeks after the first dose and then every year, and the checker reminds you about the second dose.

What it cannot tell you

• Whether your vet considers your pet's health fit for boarding
• Whether a vaccine certificate is complete or legible
• Whether your pet's other needs, such as medications, are arranged
• Reservations: the kennel confirms those

After the checker

Send records three ways: upload them to your online account, email them to the kennel, or bring a copy to the first check-in. Send new records after any booster. See the full list on the vaccines hub, and the timing advice on how far ahead to vaccinate.

Recommended extras

The kennel recommends the canine influenza vaccine (H3N2 and H3N8), leptospirosis vaccine, heartworm prevention and flea prevention for dogs. These are recommended, so they do not appear as required items on the to-do list.

A note on kennel cough

Bordetella does not cover every respiratory illness, and occasional outbreaks of kennel cough happen anywhere dogs gather. It normally clears in a few days. Keeping vaccines current is the best thing an owner can do. Read more on the kennel cough page.