Treat updates as a service commitment, not an improvised courtesy. Agree on preferences before arrival and, during the stay, send a brief message with the same items in the same order, at a time you can stick to. Share unexpected issues by stating the facts, the actions already taken, and when you’ll next be in touch; emergencies should follow the agreed emergency plan, not the daily message.
Before arrival: ask how they want to receive updates
When a booking is made or accepted, collect a few preferences and keep them somewhere all staff can consult.
| Preference to ask about | Why you need it |
|---|---|
| Frequency: daily, every other day, only if something changes | You’ll know how many messages to plan for and what a day without news means |
| Preferred channel | You’ll write where the owner actually reads messages |
| Time window | The message will arrive when they can read it, even in a different time zone |
| Format: text only or text with photos | You’ll know in advance whether to take and send pictures |
| Backup contact and actual availability during the trip (time zones, flights) | You’ll know who to call if the owner is on a flight or unreachable |
Ask separately for permission to post photos on the boarding facility’s channels: this is a separate choice from private updates and should not be assumed.
Then write the service commitment in one line, for example, “one update a day by 7 p.m.”, and stick to it. The goal is predictability, not frequency: the owner should know when the next message will arrive.
The standard message: a few items, always in the same order
The message has six items, always the same: meals compared with the agreed plan, bathroom breaks, activity and rest, observed behavior, any practical notes (for example, medication given at the time specified by the owner, only if applicable), and the time of the next update. Here’s a template to adapt for dogs and cats, not a real case:
[Pet’s name], update for [day]
Meals: [how much they ate compared with the plan]
Bathroom breaks: [bathroom breaks, outings if applicable]
Activity and rest: [what they did, where they rested]
Behavior: [what you observed, without interpreting it]
Notes: [only if applicable] · Next update: [day, time]
Keep the tone warm and matter-of-fact: describe what you saw, not the mood you think you can read. “They seem sad” requires the owner to interpret; “They ate half their dinner, then stayed in their bed and accepted a short walk” gives them facts.
Photos: useful when agreed and manageable
A photo can help when it shows an ordinary situation: the pet during a normal moment or the place where they’re resting. A few rules:
- the owner can recognize their pet;
- no other clients or other people’s pets are recognizable in the photos you send;
- don’t send a picture of an injury without an explanation and without discussing it with the owner first.
Don’t promise constant photos or live video: they take time away from care, and if you can’t keep the promise, every delay becomes a reason to worry. Promise only what your shift allows.
For privacy, follow good practices rather than treating this as legal advice: post only with separate consent and consult your adviser about the obligations that apply to your business.
When something doesn’t go as planned
Distinguish three levels so staff know what to do right away:
- Minor deviation, such as leaving half a meal or having a restless night: include the observed fact, the action already taken, and when you’ll follow up in the update.
- A decision the owner needs to make, such as replacing the agreed food or bringing pickup forward: don’t wait for the next update; call right away, as agreed.
- A health emergency: follow the plan agreed with the owner and their veterinarian before arrival, and notify the owner as soon as possible.
Always record times and actions: you’ll need them to report accurately.
Organizing messages on busy days
On busy days, at the facility or at home, requests for updates arrive at all hours and messages are written in a rush: the risk is sending one to the wrong person. Four tips:
- set a fixed time window for writing, when you prepare all messages instead of responding to every request;
- assign one person per shift so a message isn’t written twice or forgotten;
- use the same template every time, saved somewhere staff can find it;
- do a final check before sending to make sure the pet and recipient match: pet’s name, correct photo, correct client.
If the booking comes through PawsPet, in PawsPet Business open the “Orders” tab, then the order and the “Chat” tab, which appears only if a conversation is linked to the order; you can also find the same conversation using the chat-bubble icon on the Dashboard. From there, you can write messages and attach photos from “Camera” or “Gallery” using the paperclip, as well as attach documents. Attachments require a connection, while text-only messages written offline stay queued and are sent when the network returns. A double blue check mark means the client has read the message. The conversation is created from an order: for anyone who doesn’t book through PawsPet, use the agreed channel. Chat doesn’t replace a phone call or the emergency plan for decisions and urgent situations. To keep orders and client conversations in one place, you can manage them in PawsPet Business.
Where to start
Before the next busy period, take three steps:
- Add update preferences to the booking form.
- Save the message template somewhere all staff can find it.
- Set a time window for sending updates and include it in your service commitment.
