How to make a pet emergency contact card

Choose a person who has agreed to help

The American Veterinary Medical Association recommends arranging a trusted decision-maker for emergencies while you are away and checking in advance what documentation your veterinary clinic needs. Ask the person directly and confirm how they can be reached.

A name on a card does not by itself grant legal authority. Discuss consent and payment arrangements with the clinic and use the documentation it requires.

Source: AVMA: Ensuring your pet is protected when you’re away.

Keep the card short and identifiable

Use a separate, clearly named card for each pet or make each pet’s information unmistakable. Include only information the intended caregiver needs. Put longer routine notes in the care pack so contact details stay easy to scan.

• Pet’s name, species, and a useful identifying description
• Owner’s name and phone number, including country code
• Backup contact’s name, number, and agreed role
• Regular veterinary practice and phone number
• Confirmed emergency clinic details and location
• Where to find original veterinary instructions or required documents
• Date the contact details were last checked

Check the route to urgent help

Verify the clinic’s phone number, location, and out-of-hours arrangements directly. A familiar practice may not be the destination outside its normal hours. Agree where the card and carrier or transport equipment will be kept.

For urgent veterinary advice, the FDA directs pet owners to their veterinarian, an emergency animal hospital, or an appropriate animal poison control service. SitterLeaf does not assess urgency or provide emergency treatment instructions.

Source: FDA: Who do you call if you have a pet emergency?.

Record facts, not generated treatment instructions

Keep any owner-provided essential notes clearly labeled and current. Do not add guessed allergies, a suspected diagnosis, or a medicine dose generated by a writing tool. Preserve original professional instructions separately and arrange the necessary handover with the caregiver.

Where a detail is unknown, write ‘Not confirmed’ and follow up before leaving. A complete-looking card with invented information is less useful than an honest draft with a visible question.

Make a copy available without relying on a live connection

Print or download the reviewed card and leave it in the location you agreed with the sitter. Send the digital version only to intended recipients. If a number changes, replace the printed copy and tell the caregiver; an old download will not update itself.

Check the card before every trip. If a health concern arises, contact a veterinarian or emergency animal hospital directly. Do not wait for an AI edit, a reminder, or a reply inside a care journal.