Health records, sitter notes and yearly costs for pet owners
By the Brainfy Studio editorial team · Updated
Looking after a pet well is mostly a few records kept up to date: vaccines and vet visits, what a sitter needs to know, the first weeks with a new animal, and what the pet costs over a year.
This page sets out a routine for each, links to the free calculator, guide or sample page for that step, and lists the printable files that fit. The example dog and its costs are invented.
1. Keep vaccine, vet and medication records together
When a vet asks when the last vaccine was given, or what a medication dose was, the answer should be on one page you can find. Write each vaccine with the date given and the next due date, log each vet visit with the reason and what the vet said, and copy medications exactly as prescribed.
- Fill in the pet profile and vet contacts once.
- Add each vaccine, visit and prescription on the day, not from memory later.
- Take the organizer to vet appointments and keep the vet's own records with it.
Files
- Pet Health Organizer (Paid — $14.00)
- Senior Pet Care Organizer (Paid — $19.00)
Free sample: Pet Health Organizer v1.0.3, page 4 of 9
Shows: The vaccination record: vaccine, date given, clinic or vet, next due date and notes.
Not in the sample: The before-you-start note, pet profile and vet contacts, vet visit log, medication and parasite prevention logs, weight tracker and symptoms and notes page.
No account needed. The page is copied unchanged from the current file, with a “Sample” label and a faint watermark added. Free sample: print and use it for yourself, your household or your own business. Don't resell or redistribute the file; share the link instead. The full product is sold under the Standard Licence. See the full product.
2. Leave clear instructions for a pet sitter
A sitter, neighbour or relative should not have to text you to find out how much food to give or where the lead is. Write down emergency contacts and the vet, feeding amounts and times, the daily routine, any medications and the household details, and ask the sitter to fill in a short daily report.
- Write the emergency contacts and vet details first.
- Be exact about food: brand, amount per meal, meal times and anything the pet must never eat.
- Walk the sitter through the routine once before you leave.
Files
- Pet Sitter Information Kit (Paid — $9.00)
Free sample: Pet Sitter Information Kit v1.0.3, page 4 of 8
Shows: The feeding instructions page: food brand and type, amount per meal, meal times, where food is stored, treats allowed, foods never to give, the water bowl location and notes.
Not in the sample: Emergency contacts, the pet profile, daily routine, medications and health, household notes and the daily sitter report.
No account needed. The page is copied unchanged from the current file, with a “Sample” label and a faint watermark added. Free sample: print and use it for yourself, your household or your own business. Don't resell or redistribute the file; share the link instead. The full product is sold under the Standard Licence. See the full product.
3. Bring a new puppy or rescue pet home
Before a new pet arrives, compare shelters or breeders, buy the basics and make the home safe. In the first week, keep a simple schedule with frequent toilet breaks, log toilet training and introduce new experiences gently. Ask your vet when it is safe to meet other dogs.
- Answer the readiness questions together before visiting shelters.
- Shop and puppy-proof before pick-up day.
- Keep the first-week schedule and toilet-training log on the fridge.
Files
- Pet Adoption Organizer (Paid — $9.00)
- New Puppy Welcome Pack (Paid — $14.00)
- Puppy Training Bundle (Paid — $19.00)
See inside: New Puppy Welcome Pack v1.0.3
Renders of pages from the current files (PDF). Select a thumbnail to enlarge it.
Use the left and right arrow keys to move between preview images.
4. Work out what a pet costs over a year
Put every regular cost in with how often you pay it, and add the one-time costs separately. In the example a dog costs $1,759.00 a year in regular costs, about $146.58 a month, and $1,939.00 in the first year once $180.00 of one-time supplies is added.
Six regular costs and one set of one-time supplies, calculated the same way as the Pet Expense Calculator:
| Cost | Amount | How often | Per year |
|---|---|---|---|
| Food | $60.00 | Monthly | $720.00 |
| Treats and chews | $12.00 | Monthly | $144.00 |
| Flea, tick and worm prevention | $25.00 | Monthly | $300.00 |
| Vet check-up | $95.00 | Yearly | $95.00 |
| Grooming | $55.00 | Quarterly | $220.00 |
| Pet sitter for a week away | $280.00 | Yearly | $280.00 |
| Bed, crate, bowls and lead | $180.00 | One-time | — |
| Regular costs per year | $1,759.00 | ||
| Per month | $146.58 | ||
| First year (regular + one-time) | $1,939.00 |
Free online tool
5. Several pets, or a trip with one
With more than one pet, a shared feeding chart and a weekly care rota stop meals being doubled or walks being missed. For a trip, start the checklist a few weeks ahead: entry rules for where you are going, documents in one folder, pet-friendly stays and rest stops, and a packing list.
Files
- Multi Pet Household Planner (Paid — $19.00)
- Pet Travel Planner (Paid — $12.00)
See inside: Multi Pet Household Planner v1.0.4
Renders of pages from the current files (PDF). Select a thumbnail to enlarge it.
Use the left and right arrow keys to move between preview images.
Files mentioned on this page
Facts below are checked against the files customers download. Prices are current catalogue prices in USD.
Pet Health Organizer (Paid — $14.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 9 pages per file
Pet profile and vet contacts, vaccination record, vet visit log, medication and parasite prevention logs, a weight tracker and a symptoms and notes page.
Senior Pet Care Organizer (Paid — $19.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 8 pages per file
For an older pet: a daily comfort tracker, appetite and water log, mobility notes, a vet visit planner (changes noticed, questions, what the vet recommended) and a medication log.
Pet Sitter Information Kit (Paid — $9.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 8 pages per file
Emergency contacts and vet details, pet profile, feeding instructions, daily routine, medications, household notes and a daily sitter report.
Pet Adoption Organizer (Paid — $9.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 6 pages per file
Readiness questions, a shelter and rescue comparison, questions to ask about a pet, meet-and-greet notes and a homecoming checklist.
New Puppy Welcome Pack (Paid — $14.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 8 pages per file
A shopping list, puppy-proofing checklist, first-week schedule, toilet training log, socialisation checklist and a vet and vaccination record.
Puppy Training Bundle (Paid — $19.00)
PDF · 6 files · US Letter and A4
An 8-week reward-based Puppy Training Plan (11 pages) with the New Puppy Welcome Pack and the Pet Health Organizer, each in US Letter and A4.
Multi Pet Household Planner (Paid — $19.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 6 pages per file
A pet directory, a feeding chart for up to five pets, a weekly care rota, a supplies inventory and a vet and vaccination schedule.
Pet Travel Planner (Paid — $12.00)
PDF · 2 files · US Letter and A4 · 6 pages per file
A before-you-travel checklist, documents checklist, pet-friendly stays planner, route and rest-stop plan and a pet packing list.
Limits and honest notes
- These are organisational records, not veterinary advice. Keep the official documents your vet gives you and follow your vet's advice on vaccines, medication, parasite prevention and diet.
- The costs in the example are made up for illustration. Costs vary widely by species, size, age and location; use your own quotes.
- PDFs are flat printable pages (no fillable fields) in US Letter and A4. See the compatibility page.
Read what we test for each file format and the licence. All free samples are on the samples page.
