New Pet First Week Checklist

Who this is for

Three short lists for a new animal: what to have ready before they arrive, what to do on the day itself, and the paperwork that gets forgotten in the first week. Nothing on it is a rule — it is the set of jobs that otherwise turn up one at a time.

Anyone bringing home a puppy, kitten, rescue or rehomed animal, families preparing the house before the day, and fosterers who do this often enough to want a list.

What this helps you track

• What to have in the house before the animal arrives
• The quiet, practical parts of the first day
• Which details to get from the breeder, rescue or previous owner
• The paperwork and contacts to sort in the first week
• Your own lines for whatever this particular animal needs

How to use it

1. Write the animal's name, where they came from and the day they arrive at the top.
2. Work through the first list before the day, and tick as things are in the house.
3. Use the second list on the day itself; it is deliberately short, because a new animal mostly wants quiet.
4. Ask for the papers on the third list from the breeder, rescue or previous owner while you still have them on the phone.
5. Register with a vet and sort identification, insurance and contact details in the first week, checking the rules where you live for anything that is not optional there.
6. Add your own lines, tick as you go, and keep the sheet at the front of the animal's file.

Formats

• Printable PDF (A4 and US Letter)
• Fillable PDF with form fields
• Fill in online, saved in your browser

The printable is laid out inside a box that fits both A4 and US Letter, so the two files are identical and neither one is scaled. The fillable PDF has real form fields. The online version keeps what you enter in your own browser and builds the completed PDF on your device.

How to print

Download the A4 or US Letter file to match the paper in your printer, open it in a PDF reader and print at 100% — not "fit to page", which shrinks the writing space. Both files leave a 14 mm margin, which clears the unprintable edge on home printers. To print the online version with your entries in it, use the Print this sheet button, which prints only the sheet and none of the page around it. More on printing.

Questions

Is this list for dogs, cats or anything?

It is written to suit any pet coming into a house. Cross out what does not apply and add what does; a rabbit and a puppy need different things on the first list and much the same on the third.

Does it say what food to buy?

No, and it will not. Ask whoever is handing the animal over what they have been feeding, and ask your vet about anything you want to change. There is a line to write it on.

What about microchipping and registration?

There is a line for it, without a claim about what is compulsory — that differs from country to country. Check the rules where you live and ask your vet what applies.

Can the whole family use one sheet?

One sheet on the fridge works better than several. Initial the lines you do so nobody buys the same bowl twice.

What comes after the first week?

The medical and vaccination record, the feeding schedule and the supplies list take over. This sheet is only for getting started.