What Goes in a Dog Boarding Waiver Form (and What Does Not)

A boarding waiver, sometimes called a release or liability agreement, is the document an owner signs to say they understand the risks of leaving their dog with you. It is not magic. Courts in different states treat waivers differently, and a poorly written one may not protect you the way you think.

So here's the checklist of sections most waivers have. Take it to a local attorney, who can tell you what holds up where you live and what to change.

Have a local attorney review it

We'll say it once, plainly. We aren't lawyers, and this isn't legal advice. Don't download a template and use it as is. An attorney in your state can tell you what language is enforceable, what's required by law, and what to leave out. Ask whether they've worked with pet care businesses, and bring your insurance policy with you, since your insurer may have views on what the waiver says.

Waiver versus intake form

These get mixed up all the time, and they do different jobs.

If you want a template for the second one, see our dog boarding intake form. Keep the two separate. A waiver full of feeding instructions is hard to read, and an intake form full of legal language is hard to use.

Sections a waiver usually has

Use this as a checklist when you talk to your attorney.

Parties and the dog

• Owner's full name, address, phone and email
• Dog's name, breed, age, sex, color and any microchip number
• Dates of the stay, or a statement that it covers all future stays

Acknowledgment of risk

• A plain description of the risks of group care: injury from play, fights, stress, illness spread among dogs, escape
• A statement that the owner understands even well-run facilities can't eliminate these
• Wording about the owner having disclosed all known behavior and health issues

Health and vaccines

• The owner confirms the dog's vaccines are current and that they gave you accurate records
• A statement about illness (for example, the dog may be sent home if showing symptoms)
• Reference to your vaccine policy

Veterinary care and emergencies

• Permission to seek veterinary care if the dog is hurt or ill
• Which vet you will use first, and what happens if the owner's vet can't be reached
• Who pays vet costs (this is a big one to get reviewed)
• A way to reach the owner or an emergency contact during the stay

Behavior and your right to act

• Your right to separate, crate or send home a dog showing aggression or unsafe behavior
• Your right to refuse service or end the stay
• Owner responsibility if their dog injures another dog or a person (needs legal review in your state)

Your policies

• Pickup times, late fees and what happens to a dog left past a set date
• Cancellation rules
• Spay and neuter requirement, if you have one
• Personal belongings: you aren't responsible for beds, toys or collars that go missing or get damaged
• Medication handling

Photos

• Permission (or not) to share photos of the dog on social media

Signatures

• Owner signature and date
• Your signature or acknowledgement
• A line saying the owner has read and understood the document, and a place to ask questions

What to skip

• Language you don't understand. If you can't explain a clause in plain words, ask your attorney to rewrite it.
• Promises you can't keep, like "your dog will be supervised at all times" if staff have to step away.
• Clauses copied from a human daycare or a gym. Dogs aren't kids.
• Long blocks of tiny print. Short and readable is more likely to be understood.

Keep it findable

A signed waiver does nothing if you can't find it. Decide where signed copies live (paper binder, scanned folder) and note the signing date on the dog's record. In DogDaycareManager, the notes field on a dog's record is a handy place for that date. Review the waiver once a year, or when your policies, insurance or local rules change.