The Ultimate Guide to Traveling With Your Pet
Adobe Stock | Elayne
Taking your pet along for an extended trip can ease some of that homesickness. However, the logistics can be intimidating. Read on to learn all you need to know about traveling with your furry friend.
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Air Travel with Pets
- A Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI):- A document signed by your vet asserting your pet’s clean bill of health and ability to fly safely
- Proof of vaccinations
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At the Airport and On the Plane
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Airline Restrictions for Pet Travel
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Pet Policies for Major US Airlines
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Driving with Pets
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Train Travel with Pets
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Traveling with a Service or Emotional Support Animal
- A DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form:- Attesting to the legitimacy and training of your service animal
- A DOT Service Animal Relief Attestation Form:- Attesting that your pet can “either not relieve itself or can relieve itself in a sanitary manner"
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Service Animal Policies for Major US Airlines
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Traveling with an Anxious Pet
- Nutraceutical products, pheromone products, and diets that have independent, peer-reviewed evidence for reducing anxiety and stress
- Non-sedating anti-anxiety medications used under veterinary prescription and guidance
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Using a Pet Shipping Service
- Does the airline have special restrictions on my pet breed?
- Will my pet have several stops on their journey and who will care for them during these stops?
- If my pet travels through one country to get to another, what are the requirements for additional countries?
- Is there someone to receive my pet, clear customs, and care for my pet upon arrival to the final destination?
- Are there specific hours or days that my pet should not reach a destination? (Hint: The answer is yes—some locations cannot accept pets on certain days as there will be no one on-location to care for them!).
Flying with pets takes a lot of pre-planning. First, you must ensure you have the proper documentation for your pets to travel. Most airlines require:
Large breeds and exotic animals are typically required to fly in the cargo hold. In this case, you must provide an Acclimation Certificate—a document signed by a vet that your pet is accustomed to the lower temperature, essentially acting as a liability waiver for the airline. If your pet falls into these categories, you may want to consider alternate transportation or hire a reliable pet shipping service.
Beyond the airline, check the guidelines around traveling with pets at your destination. For US domestic trips, you likely won't need any further papers. For international trips, you may need to submit additional documentation.
Once the paperwork is in order, there are practical steps to prepare your pet for travel. Start crate training your pet to acclimate them to their travel carrier as soon as possible. PetRelocation has a helpful guide for starting the process. Also, make sure you're stocked up on any medication your pet may need on the road.
Most airports require pets to be kept in their crates while in the airport, except service animals, which must remain on leash at all times.
Ensure your pet is set up for success on the flight by ensuring they are fed, watered, and exercised before boarding. Airport pet relief areas offer designated spaces for pets to relieve themselves and work out extra energy before the flight. If traveling with a cat, you must bring your own portable litter box to use in these areas.
Pet travel restrictions vary by airline, but generally, pets must be at least 8 weeks old, their carrier must fit under the seat in front of you, and the combined weight (pet and carrier) must be less than 25 lbs. Many airlines also restrict which breeds can fly, most popularly snub-nosed dog breeds whose breathing can be compromised by air travel.
Airlines require different documentation, so check in with your carrier's unique policy. Here are a few major ones:
Driving with pets is considerably less complex. You control stops for feeding, exercise, and bathroom breaks, and your pet will be spared the stress of strangers, crowded airports, and unfamiliar plane cabins. There are even chains of truck stops with dedicated pet-friendly areas .
If you're traveling within the United States, you won't need any special paperwork to bring your pet to a different state. However, keeping your pet's vaccination status — particularly the rabies vaccine — on hand is a good idea. If you plan to cross the border into Canada or Mexico, you'll need the same CVI and proof of vaccinations required for a flight.
While some pets, especially large dogs, may happily roam freely in the back seat, you'll want to bring a crate. Spacious crates designed for long-haul drives are available for dogs and cats of all sizes.
Not as complex as preparing for air travel but more involved than packing up your pet for a road trip, train travel with animals is another way to see the world with your furry companion. Amtrak allows dogs and cats 8 weeks and older up to 20 lbs (pet and carrier combined) on trips no longer than seven hours. You'll need to pay a pet fee and make a reservation ahead of time, and pets must remain inside their approved carrier (19"x14"x10.5") at all times.
While medical documentation is not required, you must sign a Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement and a pet liability document relieving Amtrak of responsibility for your pet during travel. More details can be found on the Amtrak website .
Service animals are subject to rules different from those of family pets. Policies and required documentation vary per airline, but at a minimum, you will need the following documents , found on the US Department of Transportation website:
Emotional support animals are usually subject to the same rules and fees as pets. However, it may benefit you to carry an official Emotional Support Animal (ESA) letter signed by a mental health professional to prove their official status.
On Amtrak , service animals are not held to the same restrictions as pets and can accompany their owner on all itineraries and in all cabins.
Individual airline policies will have further information, such as how long before your flight you must declare your service animal and what additional documentation you may need.
Sharron Holmes, Executive Director of the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association (IPATA) , notes that the association doesn't recommend sedating pets as "sedation can suppress cardiovascular, respiratory and body temperature regulation and has other, potentially negative effects on the animal's physiology.” Furthermore, many airlines will not allow a sedated pet to fly.
She suggests discussing the following alternatives with your veterinarian:
While pet shipping services are most popularly sought for permanent relocations, they are available to help transport your pet for shorter trips. Pet shipping experts can take care of the end-to-end headache of animal transportation, all while caring for your pet.
Many companies offer pet shipping services, so vetting the company you are entrusting with your pet is essential. Holmes suggests that a pet shipping service should be able to readily and knowledgeably answer the following questions: