A vet clinic can send vaccine reminders for each pet by creating a Pet custom object in GoHighLevel, linking each pet to its owner's contact record, and firing reminders from each pet's own due date. The message goes to the owner and names the animal. The bottom line: a contact date field holds one date per owner, while a custom object holds one set of dates per animal, and a household with three pets has three different schedules.
Why one date per owner fails
The American Animal Hospital Association's 2022 canine vaccination guidelines, updated in 2024, describe a three year protocol whenever possible: after the initial puppy series and a one year booster, distemper, parvovirus, and rabies immunity extends for at least three years, while most lifestyle vaccines still need annual boosters. AAHA says rabies vaccination is required by law in all states, recommends a booster one year after the initial rabies vaccination, and notes that licensed rabies vaccines come in one and three year formulations. It tells veterinarians to follow local laws.
Put that in a household. A puppy is in a series with dates two to four weeks apart. An adult dog is on a three year schedule for core vaccines and a one year schedule for a lifestyle vaccine. A senior cat has its own rabies date. One contact field cannot hold those dates, and a reminder that says your pet is due does not tell the owner which one.
What each pet record holds
| Field on the pet record | Why | Reminder timing |
|---|---|---|
| Rabies due date | Required by law, with one or three year products | 60 and 30 days before |
| Core combination due date | AAHA describes a three year protocol where possible | 60 days before |
| Lifestyle vaccine due date | Most lifestyle vaccines need annual boosters | 30 days before |
| Next wellness visit | Ties reminders to an appointment | 45 days before |
Build it in GoHighLevel
- In your GoHighLevel account, go to Settings, then Objects, and click Add Custom Object. Enter Pet as the singular name and Pets as the plural name, and label the primary field Pet Name. Only admins can create objects, and the internal name cannot be changed later.
- Add the fields to the pet object: Species, Rabies due date, Core combination due date, Lifestyle vaccine due date, and Next wellness visit.
- Open the object's Associations tab and add an association to Contacts with the label Owner. GoHighLevel's documentation shows this flow for linking records, and one object can link to many contacts.
- Create a record for each pet and link it to the owner contact.
- In Automation, choose Create Workflow and pick the workflow based on your custom object.
- Add the Custom Date Reminder trigger. For object workflows, GoHighLevel says the date field selector shows date fields on the same object. Select the date field and add Before Number of Days set to 60.
- Add the Add Associated Records to Workflow action, choose Contact as the object type, filter by the Owner association label, and select the contact workflow that sends your message.
- Build the contact workflow with Send SMS and Send Email actions. Insert the pet name from the pet record with the variable picker, so the message names the animal.
Why the second workflow? GoHighLevel's support matrix lists conversations, bulk SMS, calendars, and payments as not supported for custom objects, and it lists emails to associated contacts as coming soon. The documented way to reach the owner is the Add Associated Records to Workflow action, which enrolls the linked contact in a normal contact workflow.
Text to send at 60 days
Hi [owner first name], [pet name] is due for a rabies booster by [rabies due date]. Book a time here: [booking link]. If you have more than one pet due, tell us and we will book them together.
What the workload looks like
A clinic with 1,900 pets has 1,900 rabies dates. If half are on one year products and half on three year products, that is about 1,267 rabies visits a year (950 plus 950 divided by three), or about 24 a week (1,267 divided by 52 is 24.4). Core and lifestyle vaccines add more. Per pet reminders make each of those a message the owner can act on.
Mistakes to avoid
- Holding pet dates on the owner. A second pet overwrites the first pet's date.
- Ignoring the puppy series. Puppies get doses two to four weeks apart, so set the next date at each visit.
- Skipping the local law check. AAHA says to follow local laws, so set rabies intervals from your product and jurisdiction.
- Not updating after a visit. Move the pet's dates forward when the vaccine is given.
Check before you switch it on
US text messages sent from a standard 10 digit number need A2P 10DLC registration. The HighLevel support portal says registration is required for texts to US recipients from 10 digit long code numbers and that toll free numbers do not require it. HighLevel's opt in guidelines also say a person cannot be forced to agree to text messages in order to submit a form, so keep the consent box optional. One compliance guide separates informational texts, which need documented consent, from marketing texts, which need prior express written consent. Ask your attorney which category your reminders fall into. Keep the message to the pet's name and the due date, not medical history. This is general information, not legal advice.
Questions people ask
Are dog vaccines annual?
AAHA says the industry is moving to a three year protocol whenever possible for core vaccines, while most lifestyle vaccines still need annual boosters.
Can the reminder text come straight from the pet record?
GoHighLevel's support matrix lists conversations as not supported for custom objects, so enroll the linked owner contact in a workflow that sends the text.
How many custom objects can I create?
GoHighLevel documents a limit of 10 custom objects per location on all plans, and only admins can create them.
Ready to try it yourself? Start a GoHighLevel account here.
You can also see this in action in our GoHighLevel capabilities demo.