Does a Pet Sitter Need My Vet's Details?
Yes — and more than the phone number. Give your sitter the practice name, address, out-of-hours emergency number, your pet's registered name on file, and written permission for treatment. Without that authorisation, a vet may hesitate to treat, and your sitter may hesitate to act.
The practice details
A phone number alone is not enough at 2am. Leave:
- Practice name and full address — so a sitter can drive there, or read it to a taxi driver
- Daytime phone number
- Out-of-hours emergency number, which is frequently a different practice entirely
- The name your pet is registered under — surname mismatches waste minutes at reception
Written permission to treat
This is the part most owners miss. A vet presented with an injured animal and an unrelated adult may need owner authorisation before proceeding.
Leave a short signed note:
I authorise [sitter's name] to seek veterinary treatment for [pet name], microchip [number], between [dates]. I accept responsibility for costs up to [amount]. Contact me on [number]. Signed, [your name], [date]
Naming a spending limit protects everyone. Without one, a sitter faces a decision they were never equipped to make.
How treatment gets paid for
Say explicitly what should happen: whether the practice can bill you directly, whether you have insurance and with whom, and whether the sitter should pay and be reimbursed.
If your pet is insured, leave the policy number. It is a small detail that changes what a sitter is willing to authorise.
Medical background that matters in a hurry
Alongside the practice details, a sitter should know: current medications and doses, known allergies and drug reactions, ongoing conditions, and your pet's microchip number.
That is the same information a vet asks for on arrival — having it written down turns a panicked call to you into a competent handover.
Quick checklist
- Practice name and full address
- Daytime and out-of-hours numbers
- The name your pet is registered under
- Signed permission to seek treatment
- A stated spending limit
- Insurance provider and policy number
- Current medications and allergies
- Microchip number