The contact block
Start with the phone numbers a carer can act on immediately. Include your regular veterinary practice, the nearest after-hours emergency clinic, your number, and a backup person who can make decisions if you are unavailable.
- Clinic name, phone number, address, and normal opening hours.
- Emergency clinic name, phone number, address, and driving notes.
- Owner and backup contact numbers in order of preference.
- Transport contact if the current carer cannot drive.
The pet identity block
Record the pet's name, species, breed or useful physical description, age, sex, approximate weight, microchip number, and where the carrier or lead is stored. A current photo can help identify the pet if they escape during a stressful event.
The medical facts block
Keep this factual and current. List diagnosed conditions, allergies, prescribed medication, and the veterinary practice holding the records. Do not turn the card into a treatment plan; the goal is to give a veterinarian accurate starting information.
Medication format: name, strength, prescribed dose, usual time, reason, and last dose given. Never ask a sitter to improvise a dose.
Authorization and payment
Write down what the carer is allowed to authorize if you cannot be reached. If you have pet insurance, include the provider and policy number, but do not place payment-card details in a shared note. Ask your veterinary practice what authorization they require from an absent owner.
Know the urgent warning signs
Contact an emergency veterinary service for breathing difficulty, collapse, severe or uncontrolled bleeding, repeated seizures, suspected poisoning, a swollen painful abdomen, major trauma, inability to urinate, or obvious severe pain. This list is not exhaustive; when the pet appears critically unwell, call rather than waiting for a checklist match.
Store it in more than one useful place
- Keep a digital copy on the phone of each regular carer.
- Put a printed copy near the carrier, lead, or medication.
- Send it with sitter instructions before travel.
- Review it after a move, medication change, new diagnosis, or clinic change.
Source notes
The preparedness structure draws on the ASPCA disaster preparedness guidance and the FDA's pet emergency contact guidance.
Frequently asked questions
What details belong on a pet emergency card?
Add the pet's identity, owner and backup contacts, regular and emergency clinics, allergies, current medication, microchip number, and transport notes.
Where should I keep the card?
Keep a printed copy near the carrier or lead, one in a travel kit, and a current digital copy available to the caregiver.
Does an emergency card replace veterinary advice?
No. It helps another person reach the right professional and carry accurate facts; it does not diagnose a problem or prescribe treatment.