travelling with pets
pet container - guidelines
regulations for transportation of animals
A maximum of two adults of comparable size up to 14kg each that are used to cohabiting may be shipped in the same container.
Animals over 14kg must travel individually. Animals up to six months old from the same litter, up to a maximum of three, may be shipped in the same container.
To determine the size of container, the animal or largest animal, is measured for:
- Length, including tail.
- Leg height.
- Width of animal across shoulders – widest point.
- Height to ears
This will determine the size of the container required.
To determine the width for two animals you calculate Cx3, for three animals Cx4 for four etc.
pet container guidelines : (IATA approved)
Containers should be:
- Leak proof
- Able to permit handling, watering, feeding and cleaning without the risk of injury by the handling staff
Labelled with IATA ‘live animal’ label and ‘this way up’ labels - Made of fibre glass, metal, rigid plastic or wood
- Large enough to allow the animal to stand, turn and lie down in a natural manner
- Strong enough to protect the animal during transport and be secure enough to contain it
- Fitted with ventilation and mesh openings that do not allow the animal’s nose or paws to fit through
- Ventilated on all four sides so the air quality will not deteriorate
- Secured in such a manner that it will not open during handling and transport
- With water and food containers reachable from the outside.
preparing pets for travel
- Only a light meal and short drink should be given to the animal approximately two hours before travel
- The animal should be exercised immediately before dispatch
- Shipment of females in heat is not recommended
- Females with suckling young and un-weaned animals, will not be accepted for carriage
- Weaned puppies, younger than ten weeks, should not be shipped due to possible dehydration effects in air transportation
- Certain national regulations require cats and dogs to be crated separately. Check before travel.
- Containers with cats and dogs will be kept apart to comply with restrictions regarding separation of natural enemies, unless they are used to cohabiting.
- Animals in quarantine will be separated from those which are not.