Traveling with your pet can be a challenge. The health and safety requirements combined with airport customs & regulations can make the experience a hassle. Not every airline is pet friendly, and neither is every airport around the world. The documentation for your pet must be complete and up to date, otherwise, they can be denied boarding. Therefore, it is important to know all requirements before embarking on any journey. To keep your pet comfortable, there are a few tips you can follow:
- Plan in Advance: if you want to relocate your pet, it is best to plan ahead. There are a lot of documents which have to be filled, checked and re-checked, so make sure nothing is left to the last minute. Book your flight tickets well in advance, ensure your pet's vaccinations are up to date and make sure they are microchipped.
- Get a Health Checkup: Flying with a pet is not a risky process, but it can become so if a health check-up has not been conducted before flying. To ensure your pet is healthy, happy, and injury-free. Schedule an appointment with your vet and get a check-up along with a clean bill of health before travelling anywhere.
- Get Your Tags/Identification: Flying without any ID is dangerous; consider getting your pet microchipped. A microchip is the only proof of identity a pet has. India uses the standard, ISO 11784 and ISO 11785 as the rest of the world. Ensure that your pet is microchipped before flying with your pet, if you're flying into a different country, a microchip is likely a mandatory requirement.
- Check regulations: Different countries have different requirements for different pets. To avoid pet quarantine in a foreign country, your preparation has to be perfect. Make sure to research country-specific guidelines and adhere to them, fulfilling the documentation procedure and routine checks performed during import. Failing to meet the requirements may result in your pet being quarantined until the formalities are complete.
- Pick a Pet-Friendly Airline: Not all airlines are pet-friendly, and neither are all airports. It is essential for the safety of a pet that their aircraft has pressure and temperature-controlled cargo bays, which not every airline can guarantee. If you are unsure or afraid of the process, hire a relocator. They will take the burden and headache of meeting the paperwork formalities upon themselves for a fee.
