Pet vaccination record example: dates, batches, travel rules

Pet vaccination record, explained: what the kennel, the vet and the border want to see

Updated September 6, 2026

The vaccination record is the one pet document that gets demanded on a deadline: the kennel the night before a trip, the border at the counter. Here is what each line is for and how to keep it where you can find it.

Fictional veterinary vaccination record for a cat showing microchip number, vaccines with dates given, next due dates and batch numbers

Fictional sample — every name, number and amount is invented.

The sample is the vaccination record of a fictional cat called Miso. It is the document a kennel asks for at drop-off, a new vet asks for at the first visit, and a border official asks for at a counter with a queue behind you. Every one of those requests comes with a deadline, so the record earns its place in the small set of papers you should be able to find in under a minute.

The lines on the record

Line	On the sample	Who asks for it
Patient details	Miso, cat, female, neutered, born 12 May 2022	Every vet, kennel and border
Microchip number	985 1120 0044 7712	Borders, registries, shelters if lost
Vaccine name	Rabies (3-year), FVRCP, FeLV	Kennels check the core ones
Date given	06 Jun 2025	Borders count days from it
Next due	06 Jun 2028, 06 Jun 2026	Your reminders; the kennel's cut-off
Batch number	RB-44812 and others	Borders match it to the certificate; recalls
Vet and clinic registration	Dr. L. Anand, reg. 44-2201	Borders and insurers verify the signature

The microchip number is the spine of the whole record. It links the animal to the paperwork and to the registry that holds your contact details. Check it against a scan once, and check that the registry has your current phone number every time you move.

Three uses, three sets of rules

Boarding. Kennels and catteries require core vaccines within date, often with a minimum interval since the last dose, and many add kennel cough for dogs. Ask for the list when you book, not at drop-off. A photo of the record on your phone is accepted almost everywhere.

A new vet. The record lets a new clinic continue the schedule rather than restart it. Keep the old clinic's details on the record in case they need to be called.

Travel. This is where the record meets the law. Most destinations require a microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip and at least 21 days before travel, and an official document: a pet passport or an animal health certificate from an authorised vet. Some add blood tests and tapeworm treatment within a window of hours before arrival. The rules change and differ by country; the official source for your destination is the only one to trust, and it should be read months ahead, because a missed 21-day window cannot be fixed at the airport. The pet records scenario covers the wider set of documents a pet accumulates.

The dates to take out of it

Each "next due" is a deadline, and they rarely line up. On the sample the rabies booster is three years out while two annual boosters fall next June. Put each in the calendar with a reminder a month before, so the appointment is booked before the kennel booking depends on it. The document expiry tracker holds them as health items with a 60-day lead time; the expiration dates checklist shows where pets fit among the household's other dates.

What to save alongside it

The rabies certificate, if issued separately, and the pet passport or health certificate for travel.
Microchip registration confirmation and the registry login.
Insurance policy and claims, since insurers ask for vaccination history.
Any prescription or treatment plan, and the weight history the vet records.

The questions this record will answer

Is Miso's rabies vaccination current, and when is the next one due?
What is the microchip number?
When was the last FVRCP booster?
Which batch was the rabies shot?

The manual way: photograph the record after every visit, because the paper version is updated by hand, and file it with the passport and insurance under the pet's name; put every "next due" in the calendar. The Paperlock way: photograph it into the vault; Paperlock reads the dates, keeps the pet's documents together, and reminds you before each booster. When the kennel calls the night before, "is Miso's rabies shot current?" has an answer with the record attached, wherever you are.

Checklist

Check the microchip number on the record matches the chip scan and the registry
Put each 'next due' date in your calendar with a reminder a month before
Photograph the record after every visit; the paper version is updated by hand
Keep the rabies certificate and the pet passport or health certificate with it
Know the kennel's requirements before you book, not the night before

Common questions

What does a pet vaccination record contain?

The animal’s identity (name, species, breed, sex, date of birth), the microchip number, and a line per vaccine with the date given, the next due date, and the vaccine batch number, signed or stamped by the vet. Many also record parasite treatments and weight.

Why do kennels and catteries ask for it?

To protect every animal in the building. Most require core vaccines to be within date, sometimes with a minimum number of days since the last dose, and many require kennel cough for dogs. They check the record, not your word, and they check it at drop-off.

What extra documents do I need to travel abroad with a pet?

Rules vary by destination, but almost all require a microchip, a rabies vaccination given after the chip and at least 21 days before travel, and an official document — a pet passport or an animal health certificate issued by an authorised vet. Some countries add blood tests and parasite treatments. Check the destination’s official rules months ahead.

What is the batch number for?

It identifies the exact vial of vaccine used. If a batch is recalled or a reaction is reported, the batch number is how the vet and the manufacturer trace it. Border officials also check that the rabies batch on the certificate matches the record.