What to check before travelling with your pet: a final checklist

Preparing to travel with a pet rarely falls apart because of something big. Problems usually come from details: a transit country with its own rules, a certificate issued too early, or a booking that doesn’t include the animal.

It’s worth going through this list as soon as your travel date is set, and again a couple of days before you leave. It helps you spot any gaps. The veterinary documents — microchip, vaccinations, passport and certificate — you can leave entirely to us. The points on transit and bookings are general information.

The whole journey, including transit

Often all the attention goes to the destination country and the connection is forgotten. Yet a number of countries have separate rules for transit passengers with animals, especially if you need to leave the transit area or change airlines.

• Are there any connections on the way, and in which countries?
• Will you need to go through passport control during the connection?
• Do all carriers on your itinerary accept animals?
• Does the way your pet travels change between flights — for example, from cabin to hold?

Document validity

Different documents are valid for different periods. A rabies vaccination is valid for a set time after it’s given, while the veterinary certificate for crossing the border is usually issued shortly before the trip and is valid for a limited period.

Compare the dates on the documents with your outbound and return dates. If your stay is extended, some documents may need to be reissued abroad.

Also check that your departure date hasn’t moved. Rescheduling a flight by even a few days can push the certificate outside its permitted window. If the airline changes the schedule, recalculate all the deadlines. It helps to put the cut-off date for each document in your calendar — that way any changes are immediately visible.

Bookings and contact with the carrier

Having your own ticket doesn’t mean there’s a place for your pet. Check that your pet’s travel is confirmed and shown in the booking, and that you have written confirmation — a confirmation message or a note in your online account.

• Is your pet’s travel confirmed, and in what form?
• Do your pet carrier’s dimensions match the ones you declared?
• Do you know the cost of your pet’s travel and how to pay?
• Does it say what time you need to be at check-in?

The details in the documents

Before the trip is the right time to calmly re-read what you have. Lay out the documents and compare the key details with each other and with your own passport.

• The chip number is the same on every document and can be read by a scanner.
• The owner’s name matches the name in the passport of the person travelling with the pet.
• Vaccination records are signed and stamped.
• The titre test result, if required, comes from an accredited laboratory.
• There are no corrections in the documents that could raise questions.

If anything looks doubtful, it’s better to sort it out now than at the airport. If you already have documents, send us photos via messenger — we’ll check them and fix whatever isn’t right.

Who is travelling with the pet

Sometimes plans change and the pet travels with a family member other than the one listed as the owner. For a number of destinations this requires a letter of authorisation or additional paperwork, and sometimes travel without the owner follows different rules altogether. If the people travelling have changed, find out how this affects the documents.

While you’re at it, check the contact details: the pet carrier and the collar should show a current phone number on which you can be reached in the destination country.

The return journey

If you plan to come back, it’s worth finding out straight away what you’ll need to re-enter. The country you’re returning to may also have requirements for vaccinations, tests and certificates. Sometimes it’s easier to do something before you leave than to look for a vet abroad.

This applies especially to the titre test: some countries require it when returning from certain regions, even if it wasn’t needed on departure. Having the blood sample taken before you go and getting the result in advance is usually easier than finding a laboratory abroad.

If your return flight is with a different airline, check its rules separately — pet carrier size and weight limits may not match those on your outbound flight.

Your pet’s things and wellbeing

In the last few days before the trip, keep an eye on your pet: appetite, activity, stools. If anything worries you, it’s better to see a vet before you leave than on the way.

A short packing list

• Your pet’s usual food for the whole journey, plus a couple of days extra.
• Any regular medication, with instructions.
• Pads, bags and wet wipes.
• A favourite toy or a blanket that smells of home.
• A recent photo of your pet on your phone — useful if it gets lost.

By working through this list, you cover most of the risks that come down to details. The rest is staying calm on departure day and allowing a little extra time.