Pet Care Customer Service Script Guide | 24 Scripts for Dog Boarding, Daycare & Grooming

Know exactly what to say when a pet parent is upset. 🐾

Pet care conversations are different from any other customer service. When a pet parent is upset, they aren't just unhappy with a service. They're worried about someone they love. That's why generic business scripts often land wrong at a boarding or grooming front desk.

I've built three dog boarding businesses and an animal rescue, and these are the conversations that come up again and again. This guide gives you and your front desk team the words for each one, plus what not to say and why.

WHAT'S INSIDE

Section 1: Upset Pet Parents & Complaints
A 4-step framework that starts with the pet, plus scripts for a dirty dog at pickup, a minor injury (including the call to make before pickup), a dog who got sick after boarding, and owners who didn't get updates or photos.

Section 2: Policies & Pushback
Missing or expired vaccines at check-in, late pickup fees, holiday cancellations and deposits, and medication brought in without its original container.

Section 3: Behavior & Group Play
A dog who didn't pass the daycare evaluation, moving a regular out of group play, "my dog has never done that before," and the phone call after a scuffle or bite.

Section 4: Pricing, Payments & Refunds
"Why is boarding so expensive?", "the place down the street is cheaper," a declined card at pickup, and a refund request after a stressful stay.

Section 5: Grooming
The haircut that wasn't what they pictured, a matted coat that needs a shave-down, a clipper nick, and no-shows.

Section 6: Reviews
Replying to fair reviews, reviews that share private details, reviews from people who were never clients, and how to ask happy clients for reviews.

Front-Desk Quick Reference Card
The 10 key lines on one printable page.

WHAT YOU GET

• 24 word-for-word scripts across 6 situations
• What to say and what not to say, with why each approach works
• The 3 Golden Rules of pet care customer service
• A printable front-desk quick reference card
• 16-page PDF, instant download

WHO IT'S FOR

Dog boarding facilities, daycares, groomers and pet resorts, and the front desk staff who have these conversations every day. It also works well as a training tool for new hires.

Pairs well with the Dog Boarding & Daycare SOP Bundle, which includes incident and bite reports and owner notification templates.

For educational purposes only. Not legal, veterinary or insurance advice. Policies on deposits, fees, unpaid balances, incident reporting and liability vary by state and locality. Review your policies with a licensed attorney, your insurer and your veterinarian.