5 steps for international travel with your dog

So, you’ve decided to take your best friend on your next trip abroad. You imagine the two of you, hand in leash loop, promenading down the Croisette in Cannes, hiking up the Matterhorn or splitting a gelato in Florence. You start thinking of Instagram account names in anticipation of your #howlingholiday.

However, before you book a plane ticket for your canine companion, you need to understand the challenges of international pet travel.

When traveling with pets, planning is key

“Planning and preparation are essential for a successful vacation with your pet,” Julie Castle, chief executive of Best Friends Animal Society, a nonprofit rescue organization, said by email. “The decision about whether to include your pet in your travel plans may vary depending on the mode of travel and your destination.”

Bringing your pup will require more advance prep work than if just the bipeds were traveling. But follow these guidelines, and your vacation could become the talk of the dog park.

The first step: Consult with your vet about whether your dog is fit for an overseas adventure.

Animals with serious medical or behavioral issues should stay at home. The same goes for senior dogs and puppies still nursing or not fully vaccinated. The Agriculture Department requires dogs to be at least 8 weeks old. Airlines also have varying minimum-age requirements. For example, Delta accepts carry-on pups that are at least 15 weeks old for travel to the European Union.

Also ask yourself whether your dog has the temperament for travel.

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“People who go through the effort and expense of bringing their animals should know that their animal is confident enough to be able to handle this kind of transition,” said Lindsay Hamrick, director of shelter outreach and engagement at the Humane Society of the United States.

Breeds can also be a dealbreaker. Some countries ban certain breeds, typically the ones stereotyped as being aggressive. England and Australia prohibit bull terriers, American Staffordshires, Japanese Tosas, dogo Argentino and fila Brasileiro. Denmark’s list includes Cane Corsos, bull mastiffs, Rottweilers and Thai ridgebacks. Local governments may also draft their own rules. In Switzerland, breed bans vary by district.

Even if the country welcomes your pet’s breed, the airline might not. According to Transportation Department statistics from 2010, short-nosed breeds are more likely to die on planes than other types of dogs. To avoid a tragedy, some carriers will not transport brachycephalic breeds, such as pugs, boxers and Boston terriers; others will fly them only during cooler seasons. The policy applies to pets in the cargo hold, not the cabin.

“The brachycephalic breeds are banned by most airlines because of their difficulty with breathing,” said Angela Passman, owner and president of World Pet Travel, a pet transport provider. “If you’ve got an old English bulldog that is overweight, he would not be a good one to travel by air.”

If you are traveling for only a few weeks, it might not be worth the effort and expense to bring your pet. The experience could also exact a toll on your pet’s mental or physical health.

“We discourage vacations big time, because we feel that it’s better for your pet to stay home and be bored for a week or two rather than to go through all that is required to get to another country and back,” said Passman, whose company has facilitated pet transports in more than 60 countries.

You also need to consider the destination and your itinerary. Some countries are more pet-friendly than others, such as Germany, France and Canada. Even in welcoming destinations, your choice of activities might exclude your pet, such as visits to cultural attractions and meals in gourmet restaurants. A trip packed with outdoor activities will elicit many more tail wags.

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“Will it be fun for me and my pet or cause one or both of us stress?” Castle said. “If it’s the latter, you might consider leaving him at home.”

Last summer, Sophie Welter, her French husband and their rescue dog spent six weeks in France, Italy and Switzerland. The trio visited Paris for a few days, which Welter said was better for smaller, more sedentary dogs than midsize, active ones like Siena.

“Paris was not fun for her,” she said, “because we couldn’t take her off-lead in the parks.”

Siena’s vacation vastly improved when the family relocated to the countryside. She explored rivers and forests in the Loire Valley, rode a gondola up a Swiss mountain and took a dip in Lake Como.

Each country sets its own live animal import rules. BringFido, a well-regarded online pet travel resource, covers the requirements for dozens of countries and includes relevant links. The Agriculture Department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has a drop-down list of countries and their regulations. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers a good overview of the procedures.

“One of the first pieces of due diligence, from a regulatory perspective, is knowing the country’s requirements,” Hamrick said. “Some countries will require you to quarantine your pet for a couple of weeks to a couple of months. Other countries might only require your veterinarian to sign off on a health certificate to prove that your pet is up to date on vaccinations.”

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Once you’ve chosen your destinations, book an appointment with an accredited vet who can assist you with the mandatory documents, such as proof of a rabies shot and a microchip. Be aware of sensitive timing: Many countries require a health certificate approved by the USDA within 10 days of your arrival.

In 2021, the CDC issued a temporary ban on dogs entering the States from countries with a high risk of rabies, such as the Dominican Republic, Thailand and Colombia, which has made it more difficult for rescue centers to send animals abroad for adoption. The agency recently extended the rule to July 2024. However, travelers who visit any of these countries can reenter the States as long as they land at one of 18 airports with a CDC quarantine station and possess a U.S.-issued rabies vaccination certificate.

If you can afford private air or a shared charter flight, such as K9 Jets, your pampered pet can stretch out by your feet. Dogs of all sizes and snout lengths are invited aboard.

On commercial air, owners can carry on small pets enclosed in carriers that fit under the cabin seat. Larger animals fly in a special pressurized and temperature-controlled compartment in the plane. They can travel as checked luggage on their owner’s aircraft or as cargo, either with their humans or on a different flight. In both scenarios, the owners will not see their pets until the final destination.

“Airlines really have no way to accommodate many animals as anything other than luggage,” said Matt Rossell, campaigns manager with the Animal Legal Defense Fund. “You’d never consider putting your child in cargo and shipping them internationally, right? But you’re restricted with your pets.”

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When Rossell accompanies rescue dogs on flights, the animals travel as excess luggage, his preferred arrangement. The process is straightforward: At the check-in counter, the airline agent will take possession of your crated pet, along with any luggage. Upon arrival, you will retrieve your pet in baggage claim. Then, you proceed to customs with your documents.

“Having that animal on your flight adds a sense of security,” he said. “The animal’s guardian can make sure that the pilot and flight attendants know there’s an animal on board.”

All animals, with the exception of service dogs, must travel in a carrier or kennel. For pups too big for the cabin, the airlines are very specific about the crate dimensions and construction, down to the type of closures and the location of the ventilation holes. They also dictate the amenities allowed inside. American Airlines, for example, permits blankets, towels and beds that don’t exceed three inches in thickness; hay, straw and wood shavings are not permitted.

For kennel specifications and prep tips, consult your airline. The International Air Transport Association’s Traveler’s Pet Corner also has valuable information about crates. Once you have acquired an enclosure, start acclimating your pet to it.

Over the years, several carriers, such as United and Delta, have eliminated the excess luggage option and require travelers to use a cargo shipping company. Some airlines have their own in-house service, or you can hire a pet transport specialist independent of the airline. To find a company that operates from your outbound airport, check the database run by the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association.

Pet transporters take care of all aspects of the journey. “We help with the paperwork and the crate and customs clearance — the total package,” Passman said. “It’s pretty much airport to door.” But, she admitted, “it’s more cost prohibitive.”

As an example, Passman quoted $4,000 to $6,000 to fly a goldendoodle one way from Dallas to Germany or $2,500 to $3,000 for a smaller breed like a cocker spaniel. Depending on the route, Air France charges about $110 to $440 one-way for a pet in cargo hold, regardless of the dog’s size.

Before locking in your pet-friendly accommodations, familiarize yourself with the pet policies. Some hotels require owners to crate their pup when they’re out for the day. For these occasions, bring a collapsible crate, plus any bedding and toys. Remember to hang the “Do Not Disturb” sign on the door.

Everything to know about flying with pets, from people who do it most

When booking a rental car, choose a vehicle with air conditioning and enough room for your four-legged passenger and the kennel. For an even bigger adventure, look into boats, trains and public transportation. In Europe, many ferries, including Brittany Ferries and DFDS, grant pets passage. Swiss Federal Railways sells daily, monthly and yearly dog passes that includes unlimited travel by train, boat, bus and public transportation in Switzerland. (About $28 for the daily option; no charge for wee dogs.) Small canines can whoosh through Japan on bullet trains.

For months-long trips, bring your pet’s routine preventive medications, such as for fleas and ticks or heartworm.

If your dog earned a permanent spot on your European holiday guest list, obtain an E.U. pet passport, which will streamline the travel process. The document is only available in an E.U. country, so be sure to squeeze a vet visit into your vacation.

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