General Info

• Activity Date — Timestamps every entry so records stay accurate and trackable over time.
• Submitter Name — Identifies who logged the observation so follow-up questions have a clear point of contact.
• Species (Dog or Cat) — Captured at the start so entries are categorized before a single field is filled out.
• Observation Type — Submitters choose from 7 pre-set categories: Morning Check, Feeding, Enrichment, Training Session, Social Interaction, Medical Check, or General Observation. Every entry is contextualized, not just a free-floating block of text.

Animal's Information

• Animal's Name + ID — Required fields that tie every submission to the correct animal. Prevents entries from floating without context, especially when multiple animals share a name.

Observation Details

• Appetite Rating — A five-point standardized scale (Unknown, Normal, Good, Reduced, Refused Food) that makes it possible to track patterns, not just individual incidents.
• Activity Level — Six-point scale from Lethargic to Very Active. Consistent enough across submissions to flag behavioral changes early.
• Observation Notes — Open text field for the details that don't fit neatly into a dropdown — the stuff your team actually needs to communicate.
• Photos & Videos — File upload that goes directly to a linked Google Drive folder. Visual documentation without any extra steps or separate upload process.

What Makes This Different

• Dogs and cats in one form — species is flagged at the top so sorting and filtering responses stays clean from the start
• 7 structured observation types instead of a freeform text field — standardized categories make entries consistent and comparable across your whole team
• Standardized appetite and activity scales — built to spot trends over time, not just capture one-off notes
• Photo/video upload built in — files go straight to Google Drive, no separate workflow required
• Three guided sections — logical structure reduces incomplete submissions and misattributed entries
• No app, no paid plan, no extra software — Google Forms runs on any device, free

✅ 1 ready-to-use Google Form

✅ 3 organized sections (General Info → Animal's Information → Observation Details)

✅ 7 pre-configured Observation Type categories

✅ Standardized Appetite and Activity Level rating fields

✅ Built-in photo and video upload to Google Drive

✅ Canva template to change & customize the form header to fit your organization's needs

✔ Shelter staff who need a consistent, shift-ready way to document daily animal observations

✔ Foster coordinators collecting behavioral updates from volunteer foster homes

✔ Rescue volunteers who want a clear, guided form they can fill out on any device

✔ Organizations still relying on texts, paper logs, or verbal handoffs for behavioral tracking

✔ Small-to-midsize shelters that want structured records without adding another software tool

Do I need a paid Google account to use this?

No. Google Forms is free. You'll need a Google account to copy and edit the form, but anyone can fill it out as a respondent — no account required on their end.

Can I customize the form after purchasing?

Yes. You'll receive a link to copy the form directly to your Google Drive. Once it's there, it's fully yours to edit — add questions, adjust the species options, change observation categories, or modify anything to fit your program.

Does it work for animals other than dogs and cats?

It comes pre-configured for dogs and cats, but the species question is a simple multiple choice field you can edit to include rabbits, guinea pigs, or any other species your organization works with.

Where do the uploaded photos and videos go?

Straight to a Google Drive folder tied to your form. You can view, organize, and share them from there — no additional setup required.

How long does it take to get set up?

Under five minutes. Copy the Google Sheet, edit the form, update the title with your organization name, adjust any fields you want to change, and share the link with your team.

What if I want to connect this to a spreadsheet or database?

Google Forms automatically sends all responses to a linked Google Sheet, which you can view from the Responses tab. You can also connect it to Airtable or other tools using Zapier or Make if you want responses routed somewhere more robust.