Pet sitter handover sheet (printable)

Fill this in, print it and leave it where the sitter will see it, and send them a photo of it too. Write the food and the medicines exactly as you and the vet do them, and lay out everything on the 'left out' list the night before ¹². Do one trial walk together before you go ³. For why each line matters, see what to hand over to a sitter.

Photo: A recent, clear photo of your pet, to show neighbours and put on posters if it gets lost⁴
Two phone numbers: Yours and a friend's or relative's, in case you can't be reached⁴
Medicines: Enough for the whole time you're away, with written instructions¹
Trial run: Meet with your pet first, ask for a trial walk, and ask for a note or photo after each visit³

Prints on one A4 sheet, without the notes and sources.

About my pet

Name, age and breed
Food: what, how much, when
Treats allowed, and how many
Never give
Medicines, as the vet wrote them
Walk times and route
Words and signals my pet knows
House and society rules

Who to call

Me
Backup person in the city
Vet: name, phone, out-of-hours phone
24-hour pet hospital, phone, address

Left out for you

Leash, collar with ID tag, and poop bags ²⁶
Food for every day I'm away, plus a few extra days ¹
Medicines for the whole trip, with the vet's prescription ¹
Vaccination record, or a copy ¹
Registration certificate, or a copy, if our city has one ⁵
A recent photo of my pet, on your phone ⁴
Money for a vet visit

Call the vet at once, then me, if my pet

Checked against vet sources. Not yet reviewed by a vet.

Ate something poisonous: chocolate, raisins, any medicine ⁷⁸¹²
Is breathing hard, or the gums look blue or pale ⁹
Collapses, can't stand, or has a fit ¹⁰⁹
Bleeds and it won't stop, or was hit by a vehicle ⁷⁹
Is hot, panting hard and wobbly after a walk ⁷¹¹

How to do the handover

A few days before you leave, have the sitter meet your pet at home, with you there ³².
Walk together on the usual route. Then let the sitter hold the leash while you watch ³.
Show where the food, the measuring katori, the medicines, the leash and the poop bags are kept.
Let them give one meal, and one dose if your pet takes a medicine, while you watch. If it's tricky, show them how you do it.
Agree how they will tell you each visit went: a note, a photo or a message ³.
Agree what they should do if your pet needs a vet and they can't reach you ¹.
Stick this sheet on the fridge, and send a photo of it to their phone.

What to tell the watchman and neighbours

Watchman: the sitter's name and phone number, the days and times they will come, and whether they will take the dog out.
Lift: if anyone objects, AWBI's guidelines say a society can't stop pets using the lift; the sitter can use another lift if there is a convenient one ⁶. More in what housing societies can and can't ask.
A neighbour you trust: your number and the sitter's, in case they hear your pet crying for a long time or see it loose.
If your pet gets out: search nearby first, ask the watchman and neighbours with the photo, and call nearby vet clinics and shelters ⁴.

Not fully clear yet

Official sources disagree or leave gaps on these. Confirm before you rely on them.

Whether a sitter or walker is insured if your dog bites someone, or gets hurt in their care, depends on your arrangement. Humane World for Animals suggests asking professional sitters about insurance ³; we found no Indian rule on it.
Only Delhi's collar rule was checked for this sheet. For other cities, see dog registration rules by city.

Last checked 5 Oct 2026. Facts checked against the official and veterinary sources below by Thapki. Not yet reviewed by a vet. Written with AI help from the sources below and checked against them line by line; the Thapki team reads and approves each page before it goes live.

Spot something wrong or out of date? Tell us and we will fix it.

Sources

Pet boarding, kennels and holiday care · PDSA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Exploring pet sitting options (leaving your pet when you go away) · RSPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
How to choose and prepare for a pet sitter · Humane World for Animals · seen 5 Oct 2026
Finding a lost pet · ASPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Terms and conditions for registration of pet dog (PDF, from the portal) · Municipal Corporation of Delhi · seen 5 Oct 2026
Guidelines with respect to pet and street dogs, and their care-givers, and for Residents' Welfare Associations and Apartment Owners Associations (26 Feb 2015; scanned PDF) · Animal Welfare Board of India · seen 5 Oct 2026
What to do in a dog or cat emergency (pet owner version, reviewed Dec 2025) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026
Food hazards (pet owner version) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026
Evaluation and initial treatment of dog and cat emergencies (pet owner version, reviewed Dec 2025) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026
Emergency care for your pet · ASPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Dogs die on hot walks · RSPCA · seen 5 Oct 2026
Poisoning from human over-the-counter drugs (pet owner version) · Merck Veterinary Manual · seen 5 Oct 2026

From thapki.app/guides/pet-sitter-handover/checklist/ · facts last checked 5 Oct 2026. Guides share public information; they are not a substitute for your vet's advice.