Dog daycare waiver form: a template to review

What should your dog daycare waiver form include?

Use your dog daycare waiver form to gather owner and dog details, document care permissions, and present the liability terms your local lawyer approves. Keep those jobs distinct so your staff can find a contact or permission without interpreting legal language at drop-off.

Below is a free, original worksheet you can copy into a document for local legal review. It is not a finished legal agreement. Before asking a pet parent to sign, have your lawyer and insurer review the form, replace the placeholders, and confirm that it matches the care you provide.

Published facility forms offer practical examples: Buddy and Friends’ form includes emergency contact details, veterinary transport authorization, and pickup identification; Pets Gone Wild’s form asks about behavior, medical conditions, and medications. Use those examples to spot missing intake questions, not to borrow their release language.

Which parts need legal review?

Ask your lawyer to review the whole agreement, especially liability terms, emergency authority, payment responsibility, and how changes take effect. Ask your insurer whether the proposed wording and operating procedures match your coverage requirements.

For a narrow illustration of why wording matters, New York General Obligations Law §5-326 voids certain negligence exemptions involving fee-charging recreational establishments. That statute alone does not establish whether it applies to your dog daycare, boarding facility, or dog park. Ask local counsel to assess your actual operation.

Use this table as a review agenda, not a list of legally required clauses.

Can you copy a starter waiver worksheet?

Yes. Copy the worksheet below, fill in your operational details, and send it to your lawyer and insurer before use. Bracketed instructions are drafting prompts, not terms for a customer to accept. Resolve every placeholder before turning the worksheet into a signable form.

Keep this review label on the working draft so it cannot be mistaken for an approved agreement.

DOG DAYCARE INTAKE AND CONSENT WORKSHEET
FOR LOCAL LEGAL AND INSURER REVIEW BEFORE USE

FACILITY AND DOCUMENT
Legal business name: ______________________________
Location and contact number: ______________________
Services this agreement will cover: _______________
Document reference and revision date: _____________

OWNER AND SIGNER
Owner name: _______________________________________
Signer name, if different: _________________________
Relationship to owner and authority to sign: _______
Primary phone: __________ Alternate phone: _________
Email: ____________________________________________

DOG DETAILS [repeat for each dog covered]
Name: __________ Breed/description: ________________
Age/date of birth: _________________________________
Health conditions, allergies, and care needs: _______
Medication details for staff review: _______________
Behavior history, including bites or attempted bites,
resource guarding, and handling concerns: __________
Follow-up discussion needed: _______________________

CONTACTS AND PICKUP
Emergency contact name: ____________________________
Relationship: __________ Phone: ____________________
Alternate emergency contact and phone: _____________
People authorized to collect the dog: ______________
Pickup identity-check procedure: ___________________
How the owner requests a pickup-list change: _______
How staff confirm and record that change: __________

VETERINARY CARE AND TRANSPORT
Regular veterinarian, clinic, and phone: ___________
Preferred emergency clinic and phone: ______________
Backup clinic process if unavailable: ______________
Contact order and staff escalation lead: ___________
Who may authorize transport, and under what terms:
[Insert reviewed authorization and response fields.]
Who may authorize veterinary treatment:
[Insert reviewed authority, scope, and response fields.]
Emergency contact’s decision-making authority:
[Insert reviewed scope; do not assume it from name alone.]
Unanswered or conflicting permission fields:
[Specify who resolves them before the form is accepted.]
If the owner and emergency contact cannot be reached:
[Insert reviewed emergency procedure and authority.]
Treatment limits, cost decisions, and payment terms:
[Insert counsel- and insurer-reviewed terms and fields.]

POLICIES PROVIDED TO THE OWNER
Admission and vaccine policy reference/date: _______
Assessment and group-play policy reference/date: ___
Illness, injury, and early-pickup policy: ___________
Attendance, cancellation, and late-pickup policy: ___
How to report changes to health, behavior, or contacts:
___________________________________________________
Policy acknowledgment:
[Insert reviewed wording and required responses.]

LEGAL TERMS
Liability and release:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Indemnity and dispute terms:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Duration, withdrawal, and agreement updates:
[Counsel to specify the process and any new acceptance.]

SIGNING [complete only after final approval]
[Insert counsel-approved acknowledgment of the completed
agreement, including its document reference.]
Signer’s printed name: _____________________________
Signature: __________________ Date: ________________

STAFF REVIEW
Owner and dogs matched to the record: ______________
Required signatures and responses complete: ________
Emergency and pickup details reviewed: _____________
Separate admission checks complete: ________________
Open question, responsible staff member, next action:
___________________________________________________
Reviewed by: __________________ Date: ______________
Signed document storage reference: _________________

DOG DAYCARE INTAKE AND CONSENT WORKSHEET
FOR LOCAL LEGAL AND INSURER REVIEW BEFORE USE

FACILITY AND DOCUMENT
Legal business name: ______________________________
Location and contact number: ______________________
Services this agreement will cover: _______________
Document reference and revision date: _____________

OWNER AND SIGNER
Owner name: _______________________________________
Signer name, if different: _________________________
Relationship to owner and authority to sign: _______
Primary phone: __________ Alternate phone: _________
Email: ____________________________________________

DOG DETAILS [repeat for each dog covered]
Name: __________ Breed/description: ________________
Age/date of birth: _________________________________
Health conditions, allergies, and care needs: _______
Medication details for staff review: _______________
Behavior history, including bites or attempted bites,
resource guarding, and handling concerns: __________
Follow-up discussion needed: _______________________

CONTACTS AND PICKUP
Emergency contact name: ____________________________
Relationship: __________ Phone: ____________________
Alternate emergency contact and phone: _____________
People authorized to collect the dog: ______________
Pickup identity-check procedure: ___________________
How the owner requests a pickup-list change: _______
How staff confirm and record that change: __________

VETERINARY CARE AND TRANSPORT
Regular veterinarian, clinic, and phone: ___________
Preferred emergency clinic and phone: ______________
Backup clinic process if unavailable: ______________
Contact order and staff escalation lead: ___________
Who may authorize transport, and under what terms:
[Insert reviewed authorization and response fields.]
Who may authorize veterinary treatment:
[Insert reviewed authority, scope, and response fields.]
Emergency contact’s decision-making authority:
[Insert reviewed scope; do not assume it from name alone.]
Unanswered or conflicting permission fields:
[Specify who resolves them before the form is accepted.]
If the owner and emergency contact cannot be reached:
[Insert reviewed emergency procedure and authority.]
Treatment limits, cost decisions, and payment terms:
[Insert counsel- and insurer-reviewed terms and fields.]

POLICIES PROVIDED TO THE OWNER
Admission and vaccine policy reference/date: _______
Assessment and group-play policy reference/date: ___
Illness, injury, and early-pickup policy: ___________
Attendance, cancellation, and late-pickup policy: ___
How to report changes to health, behavior, or contacts:
___________________________________________________
Policy acknowledgment:
[Insert reviewed wording and required responses.]

LEGAL TERMS
Liability and release:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Indemnity and dispute terms:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Duration, withdrawal, and agreement updates:
[Counsel to specify the process and any new acceptance.]

SIGNING [complete only after final approval]
[Insert counsel-approved acknowledgment of the completed
agreement, including its document reference.]
Signer’s printed name: _____________________________
Signature: __________________ Date: ________________

STAFF REVIEW
Owner and dogs matched to the record: ______________
Required signatures and responses complete: ________
Emergency and pickup details reviewed: _____________
Separate admission checks complete: ________________
Open question, responsible staff member, next action:
___________________________________________________
Reviewed by: __________________ Date: ______________
Signed document storage reference: _________________

DOG DAYCARE INTAKE AND CONSENT WORKSHEET
FOR LOCAL LEGAL AND INSURER REVIEW BEFORE USE

FACILITY AND DOCUMENT
Legal business name: ______________________________
Location and contact number: ______________________
Services this agreement will cover: _______________
Document reference and revision date: _____________

OWNER AND SIGNER
Owner name: _______________________________________
Signer name, if different: _________________________
Relationship to owner and authority to sign: _______
Primary phone: __________ Alternate phone: _________
Email: ____________________________________________

DOG DETAILS [repeat for each dog covered]
Name: __________ Breed/description: ________________
Age/date of birth: _________________________________
Health conditions, allergies, and care needs: _______
Medication details for staff review: _______________
Behavior history, including bites or attempted bites,
resource guarding, and handling concerns: __________
Follow-up discussion needed: _______________________

CONTACTS AND PICKUP
Emergency contact name: ____________________________
Relationship: __________ Phone: ____________________
Alternate emergency contact and phone: _____________
People authorized to collect the dog: ______________
Pickup identity-check procedure: ___________________
How the owner requests a pickup-list change: _______
How staff confirm and record that change: __________

VETERINARY CARE AND TRANSPORT
Regular veterinarian, clinic, and phone: ___________
Preferred emergency clinic and phone: ______________
Backup clinic process if unavailable: ______________
Contact order and staff escalation lead: ___________
Who may authorize transport, and under what terms:
[Insert reviewed authorization and response fields.]
Who may authorize veterinary treatment:
[Insert reviewed authority, scope, and response fields.]
Emergency contact’s decision-making authority:
[Insert reviewed scope; do not assume it from name alone.]
Unanswered or conflicting permission fields:
[Specify who resolves them before the form is accepted.]
If the owner and emergency contact cannot be reached:
[Insert reviewed emergency procedure and authority.]
Treatment limits, cost decisions, and payment terms:
[Insert counsel- and insurer-reviewed terms and fields.]

POLICIES PROVIDED TO THE OWNER
Admission and vaccine policy reference/date: _______
Assessment and group-play policy reference/date: ___
Illness, injury, and early-pickup policy: ___________
Attendance, cancellation, and late-pickup policy: ___
How to report changes to health, behavior, or contacts:
___________________________________________________
Policy acknowledgment:
[Insert reviewed wording and required responses.]

LEGAL TERMS
Liability and release:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Indemnity and dispute terms:
[Counsel to supply approved terms, if appropriate.]
Duration, withdrawal, and agreement updates:
[Counsel to specify the process and any new acceptance.]

SIGNING [complete only after final approval]
[Insert counsel-approved acknowledgment of the completed
agreement, including its document reference.]
Signer’s printed name: _____________________________
Signature: __________________ Date: ________________

STAFF REVIEW
Owner and dogs matched to the record: ______________
Required signatures and responses complete: ________
Emergency and pickup details reviewed: _____________
Separate admission checks complete: ________________
Open question, responsible staff member, next action:
___________________________________________________
Reviewed by: __________________ Date: ______________
Signed document storage reference: _________________

If you want permission to use photos in marketing, prepare a separate, reviewed choice with clear permitted uses. Do not fold it into veterinary care consent or treat the care signature as photo permission.

How should you handle missing signatures before the first visit?

Make signature review a named staff task before admission, with a clear next action when something is missing. The workflow below is a recommendation you can adapt to your facility.

Send the approved agreement with your intake instructions. Tell the parent how to ask questions, where to sign, and how to correct details. Give them time to read it before they arrive.

At review, match the signer and dogs to the record. Check that required responses are complete and that staff can retrieve the signed document. If a signature is missing, contact the parent and follow your admission policy. If authority to sign or an emergency instruction is unclear, route it to your designated manager before accepting it.

Keep vaccine evidence and other admission decisions on their own checklist. Do not use “waiver signed” as your instruction to skip them. Use the dog daycare vaccine policy guide to prepare that separate part of your intake process.

When should you update the form or ask for another signature?

Set your review and signing process with counsel instead of choosing a renewal interval from another facility’s form. Distinguish a changed phone number from a changed agreement, and decide who handles each.

For contact, pickup, health, or behavior changes, give parents a clear reporting route and have staff confirm the update. For revised terms, follow counsel’s instructions on notice and new acceptance. Keep the signed copy associated with the terms presented, using the recordkeeping method your lawyer approves.

As a staff exercise, try finding an emergency contact and the signed agreement for a sample intake. Then try a missing signature and a changed pickup person. Record any point where staff cannot identify the next action, and fix that procedure before rollout. This exercise checks your procedure; it does not assess the agreement’s enforceability.

How can you test the waiver workflow in Tato?

Ask for a demo that follows a parent’s signing steps and your staff’s review before a first visit. In Tato’s customer portal, parents can access current location agreements, complete the signing flow, and view a signed document.

Bring your reviewed agreement and intake checklist. Ask to see a missing waiver, a completed signature, and where your team checks the result before admission. Confirm how your location would handle revised terms and exceptions during that walkthrough.

Book a Tato demo to walk through that first-visit waiver check with your own facility’s process.