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PSI Staff | July 2019

While it’s important to have your clients’ up-to-date contact information on file, as well as contact information for their emergency contacts, there’s always a chance that you will not be able to reach someone in the event of an emergency. This is why most pet sitters include a veterinary release form among the documentation they require from their clients.

What should your veterinary release form include?

The form you have each client sign should indicate that you have the client’s permission to take his or her pet(s) to the veterinarian for emergency care. Many pet sitters also ask each client to indicate an amount (for cost of care) that the client pre-approves, or others use forms that simply say the pet owner agrees to assume all costs of veterinary care.

PSI members can download a veterinary release form template in the Members area of petsit.com.

Some pet sitters also ask each client (or those who may be out of town for long durations of time or who may be in areas where cell service is unreliable) to have the veterinarian sign the form to indicate the veterinary office knows the pet(s) will be in the pet sitter’s care and the client has authorized the pet sitter to approve treatment. In some cases, clients have been able to leave their credit cards on file with veterinary offices or have an arrangement with veterinary offices to bill them upon their return.

As a pet sitter, the information you require on your veterinary release form may depend upon your specific clients, your familiarity with the veterinarians your clients use and how long/how far away the clients may be.

Even with a signed form, there may be roadblocks.

Previously a PSI member based in Texas shared that while she has clients sign a veterinary release form, she’s run into issues in the last couple of years because some veterinarians in her area will no longer treat pets in her care until they receive verbal permission from the owners. We've now begun to hear from pet sitters in other states that have faced similar situations. 

This change is the result of new medical privacy laws for pets that were enacted in 2015. While we haven’t heard from other members who have experienced these difficulties yet, it’s important to be familiar with your state’s laws and to understand any potential issues you may face should you need to seek veterinary care while owners are away.

The AVMA website includes a list of statutory and regulatory provisions regarding veterinary patient records by state.

It’s also a good idea to speak with your veterinarian and other local veterinary offices (if you go by to leave business cards, for example) to get an understanding of their policies. If a client has a pet(s) with medical issues, will be gone for an extended length of time and/or may be unreachable at points during the trip, ask him or her to contact the veterinarian prior to leaving town to confirm the veterinarian’s policies and make sure the veterinary clinic knows the pet(s) will be in your care and that you have permission to authorize treatment if necessary.