Writing a handover from scratch every time is how things get left out. Here's a template you can copy, fill in once, and hand to anyone looking after your pet — print it, save it as a note, whatever's fastest for you right now.
→ Open the printable template — a clean page you can print or save as a PDF.
The template
Pet basics
- Name, species, breed, age, weight
- Microchip number
- Any distinguishing markings (useful if they ever go missing)
Feeding
- Food type and brand
- Amount and times
- Treats — allowed / not allowed
- Water — where, how often refreshed
Routine
- Walks: how long, how often, on/off lead
- Toileting: where, how often
- Sleep: where, any quirks
Medical
- Vet name, clinic, phone
- After-hours/emergency vet
- Medications: what, dose, when, how administered
- Allergies or conditions
- Written permission to seek emergency treatment
- Spending limit before they need to check with you
- Backup decision-maker if you're unreachable
Behaviour and quirks
- Commands they respond to
- Known triggers
- Anything that looks weird but is completely normal for them
- How they are with strangers, kids, other animals
House logistics
- Where things live (food, leads, litter, meds)
- Off-limits areas
- Keys, alarm code, parking
Contact
- Your number and best way to reach you
- How often you'd like updates
- What counts as a "call me now" situation
How to use it
Fill it in once when things are stable, then update it before every stay rather than trusting last time's version is still accurate — medications change, vets change, routines change. That's the part a static template can't do for you, and it's the exact gap Quirks & All is built to close: the same information, but it updates the moment something changes and stays current on the link you share, instead of quietly going stale in a doc nobody reopens.