This page provides independent, editorially reviewed information on pet-care business software. The form a new client completes to enroll a pet — capturing owner and pet details, vet and emergency contacts, feeding and medical needs, behavior notes, and vaccination proof — establishing the record used for all future service.
Intake Form
The form a new client completes to enroll a pet — capturing owner and pet details, vet and emergency contacts, feeding and medical needs, behavior notes, and vaccination proof — establishing the record used for all future service.
An intake form is what a new client fills out to enroll their pet with a business. It establishes the record that every future booking, kennel card, and report card draws on, so getting complete, accurate intake data up front prevents problems later. Intake usually happens at sign-up or during the meet-and-greet, before the first service.
A thorough intake form captures owner contact and emergency contacts, the pet's name, breed, age, weight, and sex (and spay/neuter status), the veterinarian's details and consent for emergency care, feeding routine and diet, medications and medical conditions, allergies, behavior and temperament notes (fear, aggression, how the pet does with other animals), and grooming or care preferences. It also collects vaccination records and is frequently paired with the signed waiver/agreement.
In software, intake is typically a digital form the client completes online through the client portal — often a link sent when they first book — with the answers flowing straight into the pet and client profile rather than being retyped by staff. The system can require certain fields, gate the first booking until intake is complete, and prompt updates when information (like a vaccine) expires.
Good intake balances thoroughness against friction: ask enough to care for the pet safely and personalize service, but not so much that new clients abandon sign-up. It is the foundation of the customer relationship and the data quality of the whole system.