In this guide 6 sections
Keep three linked records. Food stock goes by batch and expiry, each live animal from intake with vaccine and health dates, and each pet’s profile holds grooming visits and buyer papers. One animal or customer ID links them all, so a due date or a recall is answered from one screen.
Receive food by batch and expiry
Pet food spoils quietly. A sack of kibble looks fine until a customer’s dog refuses it. Record the supplier batch number and best-before date when each delivery is booked in, not when it sells.
Sell the oldest batch first. Shelf labels with the best-before month help staff, and the till can warn when a nearly expired batch is the only one left on a line.
A supplier recall is where batch records pay off. You find what you hold, pull it from the shelf, and ring buyers who bought that batch.
- Supplier, batch number and best-before date per delivery
- Separate lines for puppy, adult and senior formulas
- Weekly shelf check of the next month’s expiries
- A markdown or return decision logged per batch
Log live animals from the day they arrive
Every kitten, puppy, bird, fish tank or reptile gets a record at intake. Note species, breed, estimated age, source, arrival date, microchip or ring number where used and the condition on arrival.
Add health dates as they happen: first vaccination, booster due, deworming, vet check and any treatment. A due-date list on Monday morning catches the animal that would have been missed.
Rules on selling live animals differ by country, state and species, so check your local licence and record requirements with the authority. The software should hold whatever fields those rules require.
Keep buyer paperwork with the animal, not in a drawer
At sale, attach the buyer’s name, contact and address, the sale date, the vaccination card or health certificate, any breeder papers and the care sheet you handed over.
Where a return or health cover period applies, store its end date on the record. It is a plain date field. A customer who rings in week two should not need staff to hunt through a filing cabinet.
Scan paper originals as PDFs and file them to the pet’s profile. Give the customer a copy of the same record, and keep the signed copy where staff can open it.
- Buyer identity and contact
- Health certificate and vaccine card scans
- Breeder or source papers
- Signed care and health cover notes
Tie grooming appointments to each pet’s profile
A grooming booking needs more than a time slot. Staff want the breed, coat type, weight, temperament notes, allergy to shampoos and the last clip style on screen before the dog arrives.
Check vaccinations at booking. Many groomers refuse a dog whose rabies or kennel cough booster has lapsed, and a warning at the booking screen saves an awkward conversation at the door.
After each visit, add the clip, any skin issues spotted and a photo. Send a reminder message when the usual interval is up.
Run one weekly review across all three records
Print or open three lists every Monday: food batches expiring within the month, animals with a vaccine or check due, and grooming bookings without a current vaccine on file.
Walk the shop with the first list and mark down or return stock. Hand the second to whoever calls customers or the vet. Hand the third to the groomer.
Keep the review short and the same each week. Start by adding batch dates to the five biggest food lines this week.
Pet store records starter sheet
This starter sheet holds three tables. The food table has supplier, batch number, best-before date, quantity and shelf location. The animal table has species, breed, age, source, arrival date, vaccine and check dates and sale status. The pet profile table has owner, grooming notes, last clip and next visit.
Open a blank worksheet to printQuestions owners ask
What should I record when live animals arrive?
Record species, breed, estimated age, source, arrival date, any microchip or ring number, and condition on arrival. Add vaccination and vet check dates as they happen so due dates can be listed.
How do I track food expiry without checking every shelf daily?
Record the best-before date at delivery and let the system list batches expiring within a set window. A weekly walk with that list is enough for most shops.
Do I need different records for fish and birds?
The fields differ. Fish need tank, species and batch of arrival, while birds may need ring numbers. Keep one animal record type with fields that change by species.
Are live animal sales rules the same everywhere?
No. Licences, age limits, health certificates and record keeping differ by country, state and species. Check with your local authority and set up the fields they require.