5 Common Check-In Mistakes Pet Businesses Make (and How to Avoid Them)

Check-in at your pet-care business is more than just a quick hello. It’s the first impression, a safety checkpoint, and a prime opportunity to boost revenue. But when it’s rushed, clunky, or missing key info, it can cause delays, create risk, and cost your business real money. Just one missed upsell at intake could mean $15–$25 left on the table. And if every check-in takes five minutes longer than it should? That adds up to hours of lost time each week—and a whole lot of lobby chaos.

The good news is that most check-in blunders are easily avoidable, especially with the right tools and processes in place. Let’s dig into the five most common check-in mistakes we see pet-care facilities make, and how to fix them so you can spend more time giving belly rubs and less time chasing down paperwork.

1. Missing or Expired Vaccination Records

The Mistake: You welcome a furry guest, only to realize their rabies vaccine expired last month. Cue the phone calls, hold music, and stressed-out pet parents. Not only does this slow down intake, but it also puts other pets at risk.

The Fix: Automate vaccination tracking. Use a system that allows pet parents to upload records directly and sends automated reminders when vaccines are due. Bonus points if your staff gets alerts before the pet arrives.

Missing or outdated vaccine records aren’t just an inconvenience—they’re a liability. In some cases, allowing unvaccinated pets into your facility can violate your own policies or even local regulations. Beyond the health risks, it can erode pet-parent trust. A modern vaccination tracking system ensures records are collected, stored securely, and accessible by staff instantly. That means no more binder-diving or chasing down vet clinics during peak hours.

2. Incomplete or Handwritten Forms

The Mistake: Paper forms get misplaced. Handwriting gets misread. Critical details get skipped. We’ve all been there.

The Fix: Switch to digital forms and make them available ahead of time. When pet parents can complete everything online—from feeding instructions to medication needs—you’ll have accurate records and a more efficient intake process.

Bonus: Let customers select extra services in advance to boost revenue per reservation.

Paper intake forms may feel traditional, but they come with major drawbacks: they’re hard to store, easy to lose, and nearly impossible to organize across multiple locations or staff shifts. A digital form system lets you standardize your intake process across services and facilities, reduces errors, and allows you to capture the data you need for every reservation. It also helps your staff stay focused on pets—not paperwork.

3. Overbooking During Busy Times

The Mistake: Your front desk is swamped. The phone’s ringing off the hook. And you just realized you’ve overbooked your facility for the upcoming holiday weekend.

The Fix: Use capacity management tools that show real-time availability across services. Whether it’s daycare, grooming, or lodging, you’ll know exactly how many slots are left—and for which types of pets.

Bonus: A visual facility calendar can help your team stay on the same page.

Overbooking doesn’t just frustrate customers—it can also endanger pets and overwhelm your staff. Capacity management is more than just knowing your numbers; it’s about predicting high-demand periods, setting limits for each service, and avoiding human error. With digital tools that track real-time availability, you can set rules for how many pets of a certain type or size you can safely care for each day, and prevent mistakes before they happen.

4. Long Wait Times at Drop-Off

The Mistake: Pet parents arrive for morning drop-off and are greeted with a long line, flustered staff, and rushed interactions. It sets a stressful tone for everyone involved.

The Fix: Streamline your check-in process by offering pre-arrival forms and a curbside check-in option. Pet parents can notify your team when they arrive, and all the info is ready to go before the leash leaves the car.

Bonus: Saving even five minutes per check-in makes a big difference during the morning rush.

First impressions matter. A chaotic lobby creates stress for pets, pet parents, and staff—especially during peak hours. Long lines not only delay services but also lead to negative online reviews and frustrated repeat customers. With a digital check-in process, you can eliminate the need for paper forms at the front desk and give customers the convenience of completing everything from their phones. Some businesses even allow curbside check-in, so pet parents can skip the lobby altogether.

5. Missed Opportunities to Upsell

The Mistake: A dog comes in for boarding, but you forget to offer a spa bath or enrichment session. That’s revenue left on the table.

The Fix: Create workflows that prompt staff or customers to select add-ons during booking or check-in. Offering upsells upfront, from extra walks to treat time, makes it easy to boost your bottom line.

Bonus: Better visibility into customer preferences can help your team personalize the experience.

Pet parents want their companions to feel pampered—and they’re often willing to pay extra for the right services. Whether it’s one-on-one playtime, grooming add-ons, or a tasty treat before bedtime, these offerings can increase ticket size and satisfaction. But relying on staff to remember every upsell opportunity isn’t sustainable. When upsells are built into your booking or check-in process, they become part of the flow—and your bottom line benefits.