How to photograph a vaccine certificate so it is accepted

What must be legible

• The animal’s name and description, and the owner’s name.
• The vaccine, the manufacturer and the lot number.
• The date given and the next due date.
• The vet’s name, license number and signature.

How to take it

1. Lay the certificate flat on a plain surface in daylight; no flash, no shadows from your hand.
2. Shoot straight down, with all four corners in the frame. Cropped edges are the most common reason a photo is refused.
3. Check the smallest text (the lot number) is readable when you zoom in. If not, retake it.
4. If it is two-sided or has a stapled invoice, photograph each page separately.

PDF from the clinic

If the clinic emails a PDF, attach that instead of a photo; it is always legible. PawPass accepts both on any vaccination entry.

Where a photo is not enough

Airlines, border officials and some counties want the original or a vet-endorsed copy. Keep the paper in a folder and the photo in PawPass; you will use the photo far more often.