Pet Air Travel

Pet air travel is becoming more and more popular. Whether it's through relocation or even for a holiday, we increasingly want our pets to travel with us.

In the UK, we tend to be rather nervous about flying with our pets. Of course in other countries, notably the USA, it is a more accepted form of pet transport.

In fact more than a million pets fly safely world-wide every year.


There are companies that specialise in pet air travel. Make sure they are a fully registered member of IATA which is the gold standard of the aviation export industry. IATA stands for International Air Travel Association.

The following are important considerations and will help you decide which company to travel with.

The crate
Your dog will be required to travel in an IATA approved container. These are big enough for your pet to stand up, turn around and lie down in safely. It is recommended that there should not be excess space since it could cause discomfort in the case of turbulence. Most companies will supply a suitable crate if you cannot get hold of one.

At the bottom of this page is a real-time page from eBay of airline approved pet carriers. If you're after one, take a look here. Very often they are brand new, or only used once.

Where will my pet travel on the aircraft?
Animals travel in a specially prepared area of the cargo hold below the passenger deck. The area is pressurised and heated and is kept dark to minimize stress. This also encourages animals to sleep on the journey.

Food and water
Water is provided throughout the journey by way of a water container fitted in the crate. A light meal can be fed a few hours before the journey but not immediately prior to travel. This reduces any soiling of the crate on the journey.

Tranquillisers
The advice from vets and from UK Defra (Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs) is not to tranquillise animals on flights. This is due to the change of air pressure in the hold and the risk of adverse drug reactions.

Paperwork
It is essential to complete the correct documents when travelling out of any country. Some travel companies experienced in flying animals will take care of this complex area for you.

If you're not sure about the Pet Travel Scheme visit the Pet Passport page on this site.

For excellent advice on travelling with your pet, go to the Defra document Protecting the welfare of pet dogs and cats during journeys. It explores important considerations when travelling with your pet by plane, ferry, train and car.

Pet Air UK specialise in air travel for dogs. They have a very useful and informative site and are dedicated to offering the complete air travel package for your pet. It is run by qualified veterinary surgeons as well as a team of animal healthcare professionals all experienced in pet air travel.





Finally if you are emigrating or travelling a long distance, it is worth checking out internet sites for that country set up by expats. There is often lots of helpful advice from people who have relocated with their pets and had experience of flying them to the new country.

Happy travelling.

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