Flying with Pets In-Cabin to the United Kingdom
Updated June 2022
Mike and I (Steph) started planning our first pet-friendly trip to London, England a few weeks ago. Mike had just started working for a UK-based company and was going to be traveling to London every few months for his new job. The idea of joining Mike in London with Django was a no brainer. Django and I would fly out on a reasonably priced flight mid-week, spend the weekend exploring London as a family, then fly home on a cheap Monday or Tuesday leg. Django even had an EU Pet Passport from our recent trip to France. Easy, right?
I started skimming one of our popular posts, “International Airline Pet Policies for In-Cabin Travel”, and quickly realized Mike and I had a problem. I could not find one airline that allows in-cabin pet travel to the UK. I immediately called the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) and confirmed my suspicion.
The facts: Bringing your pet dog or cat to the United Kingdom
Can you bring pets to the United Kingdom? Yes. Are pet dogs and cats allowed to fly in-cabin into the United Kingdom? No.
No airlines offer in-cabin pet travel to the United Kingdom from the United States. The UK includes England, Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. Unless you have a service animal, it is impossible to fly together in the cabin with your pet. The UK government is behind this strict rule and supposedly enforced it to curb the spread of rabies and better control the transport of animals into the UK. The only time pets can fly in-cabin to England, Scotland or Wales is if you are flying from UK countries, the Channel Islands, the Isle of Man, or the Republic of Ireland.
Service animals are the exception. If you have a true service animal—"a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a person with a disability", per the U.S. Department of Transportation definition—your dog is allowed to accompany you in the cabin of the aircraft for no fee.
If you are interested in putting your pet in the hold (cargo) area of the plane, here is a list of airlines that currently allow cargo pet transport to the United Kingdom.
Options for Non-Cargo Pet Travel to the United Kingdom
I’ve flown in-cabin with Django countless times, including two cross-Atlantic flights to and from Europe. Although Django is a frequent and relaxed flyer, I would never put him in the hold of a plane unless I absolutely had to. Although flying pets via cargo is generally considered safe—reputable airlines fly pets in a climate-controlled, pressurized compartment below the aircraft cabin that is kept separate from luggage and other cargo—I still would not want to put Django through the stress of flying alone and in a loud and possibly scary environment.
With the above in mind, I jumped into research mode to determine what alternative travel routes will get Django and I safely and seamlessly into the UK.
The following pet-friendly routes to the United Kingdom require a direct flight to Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris. Choose from one of these airlines that allow in-cabin pet travel to France. After you arrive in France, there are several options for getting to the UK:
Option 1: Eurotunnel
This is my favorite pet-friendly travel option and the one I’ll choose when we arrange our trip to London with Django. It requires you to fly into Paris’ Charles de Gaulle airport, rent a car, and take drive-on, drive-off train service to London via the Eurotunnel.
The Eurotunnel, also called the Chunnel or Channel Tunnel, is an undersea roadway linking southern England and northern France. It isn’t possible to drive a car through the Eurotunnel, so you must use ‘Le Shuttle’ train service which operates between Calais, France and Folkestone, England. Le Shuttle is a 35 minute train ride, and onboard passengers stay with their cars in air conditioned carriages. Prices vary based on time of booking and time of day; one way trips currently range from €110-150. If you’re willing to paying 2x more, you can book a ‘Flexiplus’ ticket which allows you to alter the date and time of your journey at any time, subject to availability. Said another way, Flexiplus lets you drive onto the first train leaving, should you arrive in Paris earlier than expected.
The only negative with this option is that you’ll have to reverse your journey and return to France before flying home. UK rental car companies, which offer right-hand drive cars, will not accept a left-hand drive vehicle since they cannot rent it out in their country.
One last tip for Le Shuttle: visit Pet Reception in Calais before you depart. An agent at Pet Reception can review and approve your pet’s travel papers so you don’t have to deal with this once you arrive in the UK. There is also a dog run at the facility.
Option 2: Ferry from Calais to Dover
Similar to Option 1, this travel route requires you to fly into Charles de Gaulle airport, rent a car, and drive to the UK via drive-on, drive-off ferry service. The ferry departs from Calais, France and arrives in Dover, England (just 10 miles north of Folkestone and equal distance to London). The ferry is cheaper than Eurotunnel ‘Le Shuttle’, but travel time is longer (1.5 hours via ferry versus 35 minutes via Le Shuttle). Both Dover and Folkestone are approximately a 1h45m drive to downtown London.
Same as Option 1, you’ll have to reverse your journey with your rental car and return to France before flying home. The other drawback here is that pets must remain in the car during the entire 90 minute ferry ride (passengers usually walk up to the deck). This travel route won’t work on a very hot or cold day unless you stay in your car with your pet and keep the AC or heat running.
Option 3: Pet-Friendly Taxi or Chauffeur
This is a great option for those with a big budget. Several taxi and chauffeur services offer pet-friendly car service between Paris and England. Rather than renting a car yourself, these companies simply pick up you and your pet at Charles de Gaulle airport, then drive you to the UK via Eurotunnel Le Shuttle. You can save a few euros and have them drop you off in Folkestone, England where you’ll catch the high speed train to downtown London. Alternatively, you can pay up and have them take you directly to your final destination.
Two companies offering this service are Pet Moves and Folkestone Taxi. We requested a quote from Folkestone Taxi in July 2018. The quote for bringing two adults, two suitcases and a dog from Charles de Gaulle airport to downtown London was £530 plus the cost of the Eurotunnel ticket (normally £79, but pricing varies due to availability). The quote for driving us from Charles de Gaulle airport to Folkestone, England was £395 plus the cost of the Eurotunnel ticket. There are extra fees for congestion, if applicable, and early morning pickups. All in all, you’re looking to spend a minimum of $625-800 for a one way trip, depending on where you are dropped off.
The huge benefit here is that you can fly home from London with your pet. Pets are permitted in-cabin on flights exiting the UK, although the number of airlines offering this service is limited.
As of 2021, Air France, KLM and Lufthansa all allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK to the US. We spoke to customer service representatives from all three airlines to confirm! With that said, we always recommend calling customer service before booking your flight to ensure (1) the airline hasn't changed their pet policy (2) there is space on the flight for your puppy (some flights limit the total # of pets allowed per flight).
As of 2021, these airlines did NOT allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK to the US: Air Lingus, American Airlines, British Airways, Delta, United, and Wow.
What about the Eurostar train?
Guide and assistance dogs are the only animals allowed on Eurostar, the one and only passenger train between England and France. Emotional support dogs and other animals are not permitted on Eurostar. Although there was a petition a few years back requesting a pet-friendly change in Eurostar’s policy, so far Eurostar hasn’t budged on its rule. Pet owners with guide or assistance dogs must book their dog’s reservation in advance. Here is the link to Eurostar's pet policy.
Sea travel: a safe travel option for larger dogs
If you have a medium or large-sized dog, you may have trouble finding an airline that allows your pup in the cabin. Most international airlines have weight restrictions for in-cabin pets - these usually max out at 20 lbs.
We found one last alternative to putting your larger pup in the hold: sea travel.
Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is the only ship that allows the transatlantic transportation of dogs from New York City to Southampton, England. There are 24 kennels that are overseen by a “Kennel Master” who walks, feeds and cleans the pet area. It is our understanding that the kennels are open at various times throughout the day, so pet owners can visit their dogs somewhat frequently. You can find more about the kennel arrangements by calling Cunard at (800) 728-6273.
When we last looked into Cunard’s Queen Mary 2, reservations were sold out months (and even years) in advance. So if you are interested in this option, we recommend looking into it well in advance of your actual departure month.
The downside to sea travel is the time commitment, usually 7 days at sea. The price will also be higher than economy air travel, especially once you account for the cost of your pet’s care. With that said, this is a very safe travel option for anyone going to the UK with their larger dog – and the only way to avoid putting him or her in cargo.
What about Emotional Support Animals and Therapy Animals?
In December 2020, the U.S. Department of Transportation revised rules around flying with emotional support animals (ESAs) and stated it no longer considers ESAs to be service animals. The new regulations were updated in the DOT's Air Carrier Access Act (ACAA) which regulates the transportation of service animals by air.
What does this mean for pet owners with previously-documented ESAs? Because ESAs are no longer considered service animals by the DOT, airlines no longer have to accept them on board their aircraft for free. Rather, most U.S. airlines have completed banned ESAs entirely from their cabins and now classify these non-service animals as regular pets. In other words, your ESA will be treated like a standard pet, and you will have to pay the airline's standard pet travel fee.
Service animals are governed under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and are still allowed by law to be able to accompany their owners in commercial airplane cabins for no fee.
You can refer to this DJANGO Dog Blog article, "New DOT Rules for Emotional Support Animals", for a full overview of the new U.S. Department of Transportation ESA ruling.
We love your comments, questions, and feedback!
Here is a really wonderful message we received after helping a DJANGO Dog Blog reader successfully fly with his french bulldog in-cabin to the United Kingdom.
"A BIG FAN OF DJANGO
May 01, 2020
Hello All,
Just sharing our experience of flying with our French Bulldog from Houston to London with United airlines. First of all, we must say how grateful we were to find out this blog. Thanks to Django and Steph we are in UK with our Frenchie.
We’ve completed all the required forms from United almost two months before the flight. Then we got the approval from United to fly in the cabin with our dog. However they requested approval from DEFRA. It took us sometime to figure out how to contact DEFRA. Then we found out that getting approval from HARC or DEFRA is actually the same thing. By the way, the 10 days rule for the health certificate is really important!
Our only disappointment was the confusion by the United airlines staff. They were quite rude with us. They didn’t want to allow us to do the check-in even with the approved documentation. We almost missed the flight because of this. But there is always someone willing to help. And thanks to those people we were finally able to do the check in. What was funny (not to say “sad”) was that after we struggled to do the check-in, when we passed the gate, some other people came to us stating that “pets could not fly in the cabin for international flights”. Again, same story. We showed them the documentation and after many calls they realized that everything was actually approved. Unfortunately it was clear that they had no experience with flying with pets.
What really make us sad is that flying with pets should not be so stressful. When are they going to realize that pets are family as well? It’s ok that there are people who are allergic to pets or even don’t like them. I totally respect everybody. However there should be an easier way of having our furry family members flying with us without exposing them to risks. Flying via cargo should not be an option unless the environment is safe to accommodate them and it’s monitored the whole trip. There are many solutions for sure. I bet the airlines that put them in place will attract even more customers.
Anyway, we are in UK! And again, thanks with all our heart to Django!"
Here is another great message from a DJANGO Dog Blog reader whose son successfully flew with his Emotional Support Animal in-cabin to the United Kingdom.
October 2020
"Thanks to the blog - we successfully got my son and his ESA (14-pound, ESA, SilkyTerrier) from CHICAGO to LONDON for the start of his Masters Program at THE MET SCHOOL OF FILM. WHEW. Thank you for the guidance. SO many hoops to jump thru. SO MANY. And upon arrival with all papers in perfect order, manager at American Airlines told him he is not allowed to travel, as the EU was closed. OMG. Fortunately I had done so much homework, and spoke to the "EXCEPTION DESK" for the last 10 days at American and insisted she check again (and again). WHEW." - Michele
Hope you found all of this information useful! Don't hesitate to ask a question in the comments, and definitely let us know about your own experiences traveling to the UK.
Additional Resources
- TRAVELING TO GREAT BRITAIN YOUR PET? HERE ARE THE POST-BREXIT DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS
- INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE PET POLICIES FOR IN-CABIN TRAVEL
- DOES MY DOG NEED A PASSPORT?
- USDA APHIS | PET TRAVEL FROM THE U.S. TO THE UNITED KINGDOM
- EUROTUNNEL LE SHUTTLE - TRAVELING WITH PETS (FAQ)
- HEATHROW AIRPORT ANIMAL RECEPTION CENTRE (HARC)
- CAN LARGE DOGS FLY IN CABIN ON AIRLINES?
- 16 TRAVEL TIPS FOR FLYING WITH YOUR DOG
DJANGO's Adventure Dog Harness and Leash Collection includes durable, stylish, and modern dog harnesses and leashes designed for rugged adventures and everyday use. The Adventure Dog Harness features a weather-resistant and padded neoprene exterior with reflective piping, breathable sport mesh lining, supple and colorfast webbing, and four points of adjustment for a custom fit. The Adventure Dog Leash features heavy-duty and colorfast webbing, an ultra-padded neoprene handle for max comfort, and a functional D-ring. Solid cast brass hardware adds additional strength, durability, and sophistication to the adventure-ready designs.
100 Responses
Alannys
Hello, I just wanted to say thanks for your awesome article. It has been immensely helpful in our plans to move from Miami to the UK. We decided to go the MIA-ORLY route and, from there, rent a car to Calais and go through the Eurotunnel. I do have a couple of questions.
1. I’m the owner of both cats. We are flying with French Bee, and they allow one pet in the cabin per passenger. As I need to issue two different Health Certificates, does that mean I should authorize my partner to be the Designated person for the other cat and appear so in the other certificate?
2. We are doing one night in Paris. Would I need a French vet to sign off on the GB Pet Health Certificate, or can I issue that certificate as well with my vet in Miami?
Thank you so much!
DJANGO
@NOELLE Although airlines are allowed to offer in-cabin pet travel FROM the UK to other countries, we’ve found that many do not. Perhaps this is because the airlines are not allowed to offer in-cabin pet travel TO the UK, and so they streamline their pet policy to forbid out-going in-cabin pet travel as well… Just an idea, but it’s something we’ve been wondering ourselves! With that said, Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM should definitely be more pet friendly. Unfortunately we’re not aware at this time of other airlines that offer in-cabin pet travel out of the UK, but hopefully another reader here will be able to reply with a recommendation.
If you find another airline in your search, please reply back here so we see it! Best of luck with your upcoming travels <3
DJANGO
@LAUREN Hello! Yes, you are correct that you do not have to use a private relocation service to transport your pet cats to the United Kingdom. Rather, your cats can simply fly via cargo into the UK. The main point of our article above is to emphasize that pet dogs and cats are not allowed to fly IN CABIN into the UK unless they are certain assistance dogs / service animals.
The UK government does indeed allow cargo pet travel into Great Britain. You can even see on the GOV.UK website (https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain/approved-routes) that “Pets usually travel as cargo”.
The most important things are that you (1) Find an airline that flies your desired route and allows pet cargo travel to the UK. (2) Get all paperwork and pre-travel requisites done so your travels are smooth.
I hope this helps! All the best to you and your cats.
Lauren
Thanks for this awesome article! I came across it after seeing the latest Home Office guidelines and thinking the requirements looked less stringent than I previously believed. I was under the impression that you were required to pay a pet relocation service to import a pet directly into the UK without going through the EU. Am I correct in understanding now that you don’t have to pay a pet relocation service if you can figure out the documentation on your end and put your pet in cargo? I don’t love the idea of cargo travel for my cats, but it would be the shortest total transit time (no transfers, car rides, etc) so I would consider it if it were an option, not to mention that it would be way cheaper. If it is an option, that would truly be amazing because here I was getting quotes of £4000 to import my 2 cats with these services.
Noelle
Hello! I’ll be moving from London back to the US in the next few months and am looking to travel with my cat in-cabin. I tried reaching out to United today but they said that pets are not allowed to or from the UK in-cabin now. Has anyone had a different experience with this recently? I know that other airlines like Lufthansa, Air France, and KLM are potentially more pet friendly but I don’t think any of them offer direct flight from the UK that are not operated by a different airline (that does not allow in-cabin)….I only see them with flights that involve a transfer. I would love any feedback if someone is aware of a direct flight from the UK that allows cats in-cabin. Thank you in advance!!
Sandie M
I have a service dog and hoped to travel to UK. Unfortunately, he was not trained by the agencies that UK requires. US has pet cargo embargo. Is there another way that doesn’t cost a fortune? Thanks for this great blog!
Mar
Hello! I have found this blog to be very informative. I do have a question regarding transferring through Paris, France. I am helping my friend move their small cat and dog (I’m thinking 2 separate trips?) I would fly in with them via in-cabin from the US to France and then enter the UK by land and proceed to London. Do I need extra documents for the EU since I am entering France? Do i get that extra document (health certificate, passport, pet visa, etc) in France and if so where? I read that someone took a taxi and stopped at a place in France to get a pet visa right before the Eurotunnel. I know the EU does pet passports but I’m not familiar with the US doing that. I just know the US does the USDA health certificates and endorsements. Also, since I am the one flying with my friend’s pets, does the written authorization form have to be endorsed or written in some way? Another thing is, if my friend has been in London for a month, can I still fly with the pets months after she has left (a long process for vaccines, etc.) ? My apologies for the many questions!
DJANGO
@JUAN MANUEL Yes, this article is still very much relevant, and we updated the content just two months ago in June 2022. You can see the “Updated June 2022” text at the top of this DJANGO Dog Blog article.
To verify our UK pet travel content, you can always go to the UK government website directly and research these items yourselves. Below are two key links. Just copy/paste the link in a new browser bar to go to the sites:
(1) UK Government: Bringing your pet dog, cat, or ferret to the UK
https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-great-britain
(2) UK Government: Pet travel: airlines and airports you can use
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-approved-air-sea-rail-and-charter-routes-for-the-movement-of-pets/approved-air-routes-for-pet-travel
juan manuel
hi, is this still relevant? I’m planning to travel to London in Christmas and would love to bring my dog with me
Dinah Russell
I have diabetes and my blood sugar can sometimes drop to levels leading to coma so quickly that unless I have remembered to take some quick acting food, I’m in serious trouble. Thankfully, my cat has trained herself to alert me before my sugar level reaches coma numbers. I live on my Social Security and a small pension. The ER doctor I saw the first time this happened, gave me a print out of his findings to take to my doctor, stating that I needed him to document that my cat was a verified “Service Animal” and that I needed to take her with me wherever I left my house. I have taken his advice and no longer leave my house without her. She has saved my life two more times in the last 3 years. My problem is that some establishments have refused to recognize her as a service animal because she’s a cat. When I go anyplace that is not outdoors, I put her in a carrier that is around my chest. My problem is that some establishments refuse to allow me to bring her in. I no longer give my business to such businesses, but it does limit my choices in products I can purchase. My blood sugar does drop extremely fast and without warning. Even though I have a letter from my doctor stating she is a medical service animal I have been told that cats can no longer be classified as service animals. I can not afford to purchase a service dog and then if I could, I can’t afford to feed a large dog. I live on Soc
DJANGO
@BARB You are absolutely right, and we have just updated this DJANGO Dog Blog article so the discussion around Emotional Support Animals and ESA in-cabin allowance is much more clear. Thank you so much for the comment!
Here is another great DJANGO Dog Blog article highlighting the new ESA rules and loss of in-cabin privileges you are referring to (copy/paste link into new browser bar):
>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/new-dot-rules-for-emotional-support-animals <<
DJANGO
@ANGELO Thanks for the question, and we are so sorry for missing this question! You are correct that pets are allowed to fly in cabin when departing the UK. Last we checked, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, and United all allowed in-cabin pet travel FROM the United Kingdom and TO the United States. With that said, definitely call the airlines to confirm their current UK outbound pet policies before booking your flight. Airlines can change their pet policies on a whim, and things obviously may have changed due to the pandemic.
Barb
Thank you for the excellent info. You might want to update it re emotional support animals. ESA are no longer granted any legal privileges in the US, and all US airlines have discontinued allowing ESA. All non-service animals fly as pets.
Angelo
Hello, I am planning to bring my Maltese to California from the UK. Is it correct that I can take her in the cabin using KLM or Lufthansa, either direct or layover in Amsterdam, Frankfurt respectively? Thanks in advance
Julie S.
Thank you so much! Super informative. I want to take my puppies to meet my mother from NYC to Glasgow Scotland This is so helpful
DJANGO
@KIM Hello and apologies for the delay in our reply! It’s a busy time of year for our travel and adventure dog accessories and apparel biz DJANGO (djangobrand.com, amazon.com/django)!
To address your questions –
1. Sounds like you’re doing a lot right, and the pet transport company should indeed be a great resource on organizing required paperwork and documentation.
2. Regarding the EU Pet Passport, you are correct that you can obtain this within the European Union and use it for travel to/from the UK. Despite Brexit, the EU Pet Passport is being honored by Great Britain indefinitely (according to their latest update on this). And yes! Tapeworm treatment must be administered between 24 and 120 hours (1-5 days) before entering Great Britain.
3. Yes, you can use the same pet passport to exit the UK and return back to the EU.
4. To return to the UK in the future, the EU Pet Passport will remain valid assuming your dog’ rabies vaccination is up to date. One important point to add… If your pet was re-vaccinated for rabies in the U.S., it’s our understanding that you need to obtain another International Health Certificate for travel. To avoid this, an EU vet administer needs to be the one to administer your pup’s next rabies booster and document it in your EU Pet Passport.
You probably already have this covered, but for other DJANGO Dog Blog readers, your pup also needs the following before entering Great Britain:
1. Microchip implantation
2. Vaccination against rabies. Dogs and cats must be vaccinated for rabies after microchip implantation
3. A rabies blood test ONLY for non-listed countries. The United States, Canada, and Mexico, among others, are all listed countries.
Hope this helps! Safe travels to you and your pup!
Adri
Hi there!
Thanks so much for all of this info. We are currently trapped in the UK due to the French border closing on us bc of the covid surge here. We always bring our dog Coco with us and we come via Paris both ways so we are in a tough spot. As I did my research on possible options I came across this Lufthansa/ KLM situation where we can fly FROM the UK into the US. Do you know what paperwork is required aside from the health certificate from a veterinarian here in England? I spoke to the folks in Lufthansa and they were super nice but they said we needed to ask the CDC for the right documents or permission. I believe this might’ve been a miscommunication on my part bc I spoke to the CDC and did my research and bc my dog has been vaccinated in the US it appears he does not need anything.
If anyone can give me any clarity on what they needed in order to transport their dog in the cabin from London to the US via Lufthansa I would really appreciate it!!!
Thank you in advance.
Kim
Hey team! Thanks for your great work. I’m bringing my pup to EU/UK and back to EU and I’m wondering if my train of thought is correct. Will really appreciate your input and advice!
1) I’m getting a pet transport company to complete all paperwork necessary for import of my pup to Paris
2) within 5 days-7 days, we will visit a vet in Paris to get a EU pet passport (which according to the gov uk site, is accepted for pets entering UK from EU), and tapeworm treatment. We will enter UK in less than 5 days from vet visit.
3) we can use the same pet passport to exit UK back to EU
3) to return to the UK, we will need to get another tapeworm treatment, but the pet passport will still be valid as long as it’s within 4 months from date of issue
Please correct me if im wrong! Thanks in advance for your help!
DJANGO
@CHRIS Hi! I’m so glad you are finding our DJANGO Dog Blog articles valuable as you plan your LHR to Toronto flight with your 16 month iggy. Regarding your question about Heathrow airport and their policy that there be "“no dogs other than service animals in the airport”, this policy will not apply to you since you are leaving the UK on an approved flight with your iggy in cabin. It is for flights inbound to the UK in which pets are not allowed in the cabin, and therefore not welcome in Heathrow Airport itself. As long as all is approved by your airline and port of destination, then you should not have issues.
I hope this helps clarify things for you. Safe travels!
Chris
Hi there Your post is SO informative Thanks so much I’ve booked my 16month old iggy onto a flight with AirCanada from Lhr to Toronto but even though I’ve paid for her to travel in the cabin with me under my seat in her airline approved pet carrier I’m concerned about the Heathrow policy of “no dogs other than service animals in the airport” Do you know if they will prevent me taking her to check-in? I appreciate on returning I’ll have to fly to Paris (already booked) then travel by sea
DJANGO
@SARAH I’m so glad you’re finding our DJANGO Dog Blog article so helpful! We have another very useful resource for you:
Pet Travel to Great Britain After Brexit | Policies, Documentation Requirements, and Pre-Travel Requisites
LINK >> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/pet-travel-to-great-britain-after-brexit
Copy/paste the above link into new browser. Or click the first article listed above under “Additional Resources” :) This article details the actual documentation and pre-travel requisites when traveling to the UK with a dog or cat.
Since you will be traveling to both France and the UK in the same trip, it is our understanding that you will need two separate health certificates: one for EU travel and one for UK travel. This was actually a question we had early this year — so we called the United States import/export office for clarification. The office confirmed that since the UK has officially left the EU via Brexit, we now need two certificates for travel and BOTH must be endorsed. If you are only spending a few hours in France (i.e. passing through), your accredited vet will likely make note of this on the EU health certificate.
And to be extra clear, both of the health certificates will be obtained in the U.S. from a USDA accredited vet. You do not need to go to a vet in France to sign off on anything. The two health certificates will cover your travel abroad AND back home.
Hope this helps!! Best to you and your upcoming trip with your cats. And congrats on the Masters program!
Sarah
Wow this is so helpful! I’m taking my two cats to London this fall to start a Masters program and I’ve been dreading putting them in cargo. I do have a few questions re: paperwork that maybe someone can answer! I assume I need 1) a pet passport for getting into the EU and then 2) the correct forms for exporting animals from the USA —> UK. Since I’m stopping in France, does anyone know if I need a French vet to sign off on any paperwork? Or since it’s just a short stop, can my paperwork from the USA cover the cats? Hope this makes sense!
Phillip
Most helpful and clear information I could find on this subject!
I am looking at flying from USA to France so I can bring my cat in cabin and then Eurotunnel via car to UK but was wondering if you had any information on flying into Ireland. I live in north of UK so it would be a shorter journey. I have found airlines to Irleand where I can bring him in cabin but haven’t found much clear information on Ireland to UK?
Thank you so much for all the help!
April G
When I moved to the UK 3 yrs ago with my wee dog in-cabin I flew into Amsterdam from the states with Delta. We then took the ferry across to the UK and then the train up to Scotland. I am now moving to Mexico in Aug and would like to do so without having to train and ferry my way back thru Amsterdam. I have just gotten off the phone with a KLM agent who says that KLM & Air France will allow a dog to fly OUT of the UK in the cabin. However, before buying your ticket call the airline 1st as you need to make sure there is room for the dog first as they only allow a certain number of dogs on each flight.
DJANGO
@EMMA Nice to hear from you! We didn’t realize that Aeromexico is continuing to allow ESA dogs in cabin. If that is indeed the case, that’s great news for you (although it’s unfortunate they don’t allow on routes out of London). Please be aware that your behaviour certificate will probably not be accepted across any other US airlines given the recent bans of ESAs in cabin.
Unfortunately we are not aware of any other airlines that are still permitting Emotional Support Animals in cabin. We do have a list of major international airlines that are no longer permitting ESAs – below is a link to our article. This should at least help you narrow down your choices:
NEW DOT RULES FOR EMOTIONAL SUPPORT ANIMALS (2021 UPDATE):
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/new-dot-rules-for-emotional-support-animals
If it were me, I would call other non-US international airlines that fly your desired route and call directly to see if they’ve updated their ESA policy. Some may have not made the update yet OR they may not have it in effect until later this year.
I wish we could be more help this time! Definitely let us know what options you ultimately find. Best of luck to you!
DJANGO
@BIANCA Hello! The paperwork requirements are definitely confusing since Brexit took effect. The APHIS states on their website that: “The United Kingdom (UK) has left the European Union (EU) but will continue to accept the current harmonized EU Health Certificates for entry until at least June 30, 2021, as long as endorsed by that date. *Please note: Now that the UK is a third country, separate transit certificates are required as applicable.*” This means that you should be able to use one health certificate (EU “non-commercial” health certificate) for travels before June 30th. Keep in mind you’ll also have to administer tapeworm treatment and document it in the health certificate (a UK-only requirement for dogs). Here’s one more DJANGO Dog Blog article you’ll find useful as you plan your trip:
PET TRAVEL TO GREAT BRITAIN AFTER BREXIT (copy and paste the link):
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/pet-travel-to-great-britain-after-brexit
Emma
I have a 33kg dog who is registered ESA and has a behaviour certificate from a certified dog trainer. He is originally from Mexico and has both Mexican and German passports. We are currently in the UK riding out the pandemic and would like to return to Mexico City this year. I know Aeromexico still allow ESA dogs, but not from London. Are there any other airlines I can use to fly direct from LON to MEX or would I have to go from Europe or even via the US? I appreciate your help. Thank you!
Bianca
Wow!! Thank you for all this information. I’m in the process of trying to figure out how to get my two dogs over to the uk from the USA and since the QE2 kennels are booked up until 2023, it looks like the next best option will be to fly from the states to Paris and go the Chunnel route. I just had a quick question tho and wonder if you have any advice on this. When getting all the paperwork filled out at the usda bet using the Aphis steps, do you select the steps for flying your pet to France or to the UK since technically going to both places or does that not make a difference? Thanks again!
DJANGO
@LINA NIELSEN Last we checked, Lufthansa, Air France, KLM, and United all allowed in-cabin pet travel from the United Kingdom to the United States. DEFINITELY call them to confirm their current UK outbound pet policy before booking your flight, however, as this information is about 1 year old and things obviously may have changed due to the pandemic.
Also, it may be helpful to scroll through this article (https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel) to cross off airlines that prohibit in-cabin pet travel all together (i.e. British Airways), then call the ones that may work for you. This article was fully updated Sep 2020 and is currently in the process of being updated again now.
Lina Nielsen
Hi,
I’m looking to travel from London to ATL with my cavalier King Charles in 2 weeks and can’t find an airline that allows him in-cabin. Does anyone know a way/airline or anything where I can transport him without having him in hold? Any info will be appreciated! Xx
DJANGO
@LIZZIE Hello! Great to hear from you. Unfortunately, cats are no longer considered ESAs under the new DOT policy changes. For this reason, you now have two options to fly with your cat overseas to England:
(1) Fly with your cat in-cabin to Paris Charles de Gaulle Airport, then take a pet chauffeur service from CDG to England (my personal recommendation)
(2) Put your cat in cargo and fly directly from the US to England.
Here is a really informative article detailing the new DOT rules for emotional support animals. It should answer any questions you have about the recent ESA changes.
>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/new-dot-rules-for-emotional-support-animals
I hope this helps! A huge congrats on your scholarship as well!!!
DJANGO
@ANDREA Hi Andrea! Is your frenchie small enough to fit in a carry-on? If yes, you should definitely be able to find international airlines that allow your dog.
Here is a great article detailing the in-cabin pet policies of every major international airline (including max weight requirements) >>
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel
If your frenchie is too big to fit in an under seat pet carrier, then you may have to consider sea travel. One thing to emphasize is that bookings for the pet-friendly Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 fill up months and months in advance, so you will have to arrange travel plans ASAP for this option.
Lizzie
Hi, Mike, Steph, and Django! Thanks so much for all these helpful resources. I’m graduating college (in the U.S.) in May and have won a scholarship for two years of Master’s study in England. So it looks like I’ll be moving there before the term starts in October…however, I have a 1.5 y/o emotional support cat (a sweet Himalayan) who has to come with me! She’s flown domestically in the U.S. with me before, but my head is spinning seeing all of the hoops that have to be jumped through to get her to our new home in England, especially with the 2021 DOT rules update. What option would you recommend as the least stressful (for me and my cat!) way for us to get over there, especially since I’m a relatively inexperienced international traveler (been abroad twice) who’ll also be worried about moving all of my belongings with me? Thanks again!!
Andrea
Hello! We are scheduled to move to the US from London in the summer and are having a terrible time trying to figure out how to get our French Bulldog home with us! We would want her in the cabin of course but I can’t even find any airlines that will accept snub-nose breeds in any area of the plane (and of course not in summer). Any help would be much appreciated!
DJANGO
Important follow up to our comment just below this one. Regarding Emotional Support Animals from non-US countries, unfortunately they are NOT allowed to fly in-cabin into the US. Here is a direct quote from Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC):
“Unfortunately emotional support animals are not accepted on flights from Singapore to the UK. Due to this specific type of service animal only being recognised under the American’s disabilities act, they are only accepted on direct flight from the USA to the UK.
Your dog will need to be booked on to an aircraft as cargo/manifested freight. Please see our website for all information required; www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/harc"
DJANGO
@GERALD LEONG It’s nice to hear from you. At this time we are only aware of a handful of airlines that permit Emotional Support Animals on US-UK routes. Since ESAs are most popular and accepted in the United States, many major international airlines are willing to acknowledge and allow ESAs in cabin if they’re flying to/from the United States only.
With that said, airline pet policies are constantly being updated, so there may be an airline we’re not aware of that now allows ESAs to fly into the UK from a non-US country. Our advice is to see what handful of airlines work for your route, then contact them directly asking about their ESA policy. If we come across any such airlines, we’ll be sure to add them to this article.
Gerald Leong
Hi,
This article is so helpful. Do you know of instances where an Emotional Support Dog was allowed to travel in cabin into London, from a country other than the USA?
Valerie Balkwill
Many many thanks for your comprehensive response, and I’m very glad the the French Bulldog made it safely on to British soil!
Take care though not to be inadvertently propagating a myth.
This inhumane rule cannot be about curbing the spread of rabies. Animals are not permitted to travel without documentary evidence that the necessary health precautions have been administered, including the rabies vaccination.
I have had to bring my dog from mainland Europe to the UK via the Eurotunnel
many times now, so I can testify to the procedure from personal experience; the documentation is checked and a small reader device is handed to the owner to scan the animal’s chip.
It is simply irrelevant whether they travel in the cabin or the cargo hold. The documentation and the chip are the same either way.
Nor can it be about controlling the transfer of animals into the UK. Any animal travelling on the plane has to be properly documented (the airline checks before, and as a condition of, embarkation) so how does being parked in a crate with the cargo rather than in the secure and nurturing environment of the cabin do that?
It’s also worth noting that this rule, inexplicably if it is for the prevention of rabies and the control of the transfer of animals to the UK, does not apply to pets travelling with private charter companies.
This is the third year that my partner has had to drive from London to Paris or Brussels to collect me and our little dog, but this time it meant instead of going home directly from Greece, we were both forced to travel through countries with a very high rate of Covid infections. Because of this we had to self-isolate for two weeks but, worse, as we are both in our seventies and therefore vulnerable to complications, this unjustified rule put our lives at risk.
I shall battle on trying to get to the bottom of it, and if anyone has any further information please post.
DJANGO
@VALERIE It’s nice to hear from you! You are correct that the UK unique insists that pets do not fly in-cabin into the United Kingdom. The only exceptions are for service animals and emotional support animals (cats and dogs). The UK government is behind this strict rule and enforced it to curb the spread of rabies and better control the transport of animals into the UK.
Regarding ESAs, yes, they can fly in-cabin to the UK in certain instances. There are only a few airlines that offer this service, and oftentimes the service is only recognized on US-UK routes (since ESAs are mostly prevalent in the United States).
To answer your question about cost, Heathrow charges emotional support animals and other unrecognized assistance animals a checking fee of £390 upon arrival.
As for the May 01, 2020 message we highlight above in this article… This was an email we received from a DJANGO Dog Blog reader who used our articles and experience to successful fly to the UK in-cabin with his French Bulldog. Regarding their arrival at Heathrow, I believe it went smoothly. When flying with an ESA in cabin to the UK, it is necessary to contact Heathrow’s Airport’s Animal Reception Centre (HARC) at least 72 hours in advance of your arrival and request a pre-approval letter. Their email is harc@cityoflondon.gov.uk. So long as this is done and the ESA processing fee is paid, you should have no issues upon arrival as they’ll be expecting you.
Hope this helps answer your questions! Best of luck with your upcoming travels.
Valerie Balkwill
Please BIG FAN OF DJANGO can you elaborate on your post of May 01, 2020 and tell us more about your experience with your French Bulldog on arrival at Heathrow?
Valerie Balkwill
I am in my seventies and fly frequently with my dog in cabin to Greece, but in order to return we have to fly to Paris or Brussels and make our own (arduous) way home from there.
The airlines check the animal’s documentation before embarkation, so further checks on arrival are superfluous.
So I am trying to find out why Britain uniquely insists that pets travel as cargo and are thus subjected to what is a serious and apparently unnecessary health risk.
You say that there is a way for emotional support and therapy dogs to fly in-cabin to the United Kingdom. Is there anyone out there who has used this option, and who can tell us how it went, and exactly how much it cost them to get their pet through the system into the UK?
DJANGO
@MICHELE Great to hear from you! I’m so glad this DJANGO Dog Blog article helped your son get from the USA to UK with his ESA. That’s so great to hear. I’m unfortunately not surprised the process and trip was complicated and frustrating despite you doing all the necessary paperwork and research ahead of time! This is common feedback from dog owners who successfully make the trip to the UK with an ESA (especially regarding airline employees that don’t understand the in-cabin rules for ESAs!).
Regarding a quick trip back to the USA over the holidays, it is best if your son’s dog has a UK pet passport before traveling from the UK to another country (like the US) and then returning back to the UK. If the process and cost of getting a pet passport in the UK is anything like that in the EU, then it should be pretty easy and relatively inexpensive to obtain a pet passport from a licensed UK vet. The pet passport will detail the dog’s details of ownership (i.e. your son’s name and info), the dog’s breed, DOB, markings, and full vaccination history. All future vaccinations done in the UK will also be documented in the pet passport, so it will always be up to date. Please know your son’s dog must also be microchipped before leaving the UK (although I imagine he is microchipped already since your son made the USA-UK trip successfully with him before).
If you already have a UK pet passport and your dog’s passport and vaccinations are up-to-date, it is my understanding that your dog (1) does NOT need a clinical examination by USDA certified vet before departing the UK, and (2) DOES need to be treated for tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) 24 – 120 hours (1 – 5 days) prior to re-entry into the UK. Tapeworm treatment can be recorded in your dog’s UK Pet Passport by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian.
The best resources for you as you’re planning your upcoming travels are these websites:
(1) https://www.gov.uk/bring-pet-to-uk
(2) https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-welfare/travelling-with-animals/heathrow-animal-reception-centre
(3) https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-welfare/travelling-with-animals/assistance-dogs
Lastly, since your dog is an ESA and he’ll be flying in the cabin, you’ll need to contact Heathrow’s Airport’s Animal Reception Centre (HARC) at least 72 hours in advance of your return back to the UK and request a pre-approval letter. Their email is harc@cityoflondon.gov.uk and they’re very responsive. And YES, unfortunately you will need to pay the ESA processing fee once again.
Hope this helps! Best of luck with the upcoming holiday travels!
Michele
First. THANK YOU (see below)
Second: is it feasible to bring the ESA dog back to Chicago (from London) for Christmas Break? Are there more vet verifications that need to be done in LONDON before flying? and then when they go back to London in January? Do we have to do ALL the same paperwork again? Pay HARC again? more booster shots?
I work for American Airlines so this child flies with the dog for under $200.
Thanks to this blog – we successfully got my son and his ESA (14-pound, ESA, SilkyTerrier) from CHICAGO to LONDON for the start of his Masters Program at THE MET SCHOOL OF FILM. WHEW. Thank you for the guidance. SO many hoops to jump thru. SO MANY. And upon arrival with all papers in perfect order, manager at American Airlines told him he is not allowed to travel, as the EU was closed. OMG. Fortunately I had done so much homework, and spoke to the “EXCEPTION DESK” for the last 10 days at American and insisted she check again (and again). WHEW.
DJANGO
@SEREN Hello! The required tapeworm treatment should be administered in the USA by a USDA accredited veterinarian. The tapeworm treatment must be done between 24 and 120 hours (1 and 5 days) before entering the UK.
Regarding your second question… The health certificate your USDA accredited vet issues will be good for BOTH France entry and UK entry. The UK accepted health certificate can be found on the UK government website (https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/pet-travel-certificate-for-movement-of-dogs-cats-and-ferrets-from-third-countries). You’ll see that the document the UK government provides is indeed a health certificate for pets entering the UK and broader EU. If you ever have any questions or need to verify information, you can always contact the USDA branch in your state. They are also knowledgeable about documents required for pet travel abroad.
Hope this helps! Good luck planning your trip and safe travels!
DJANGO
@SKYE Hello! It’s nice to hear from you. Per DEFRA, it is my understanding that pets should have a pet passport when traveling from the UK to another country (like the US) and then returning back to the UK. If the process and cost of getting a pet passport in the UK is anything like that in the EU, then it should be pretty easy to obtain a pet passport from a licensed UK vet. The pet passport will detail your dog’s details of ownership (i.e. your name and info), your dog’s breed, DOB, markings, and full vaccination history. All future vaccinations done in the UK will also be documented in your pet passport, so it will always be up to date.
Your dog should also be microchipped before leaving the UK. And please know that if your dog isn’t yet microchipped, he’ll need to be re-vaccinated for rabies after the microchip is implanted. It’s annoying, but we also had to do this with our dog Django in the US.
The best resource for you is this UK government site: https://www.gov.uk/take-pet-abroad. Heathrow’s Airport’s Animal Reception Centre (HARC) also has a great and informative website, but for some reason all their websites are down right now (and all our links to them in this article are presently not working).
Lastly, since your dog is an ESA, I assume he’ll be flying in cabin with you? If that is the case, you’ll need to contact Heathrow’s Airport’s Animal Reception Centre (HARC) at least 72 hours in advance of your return home. Their email is harc@cityoflondon.gov.uk and they’re very responsive!
Hope this helps! Let us know if you have any other questions!
Skye
Hi! This blog is incredibly helpful and positive. Thank you for putting it together and for being so responsive to your fans (one of which I am!) My mini poodle is an ESA dog and I want to book a roundtrip from Heathrow to LAX. We live in the UK and obtained the dog in UK. He’s up to date on vaccinations. Do I need to get him a UK passport? It appears that LHR is strict with dogs – what will he need to safely reenter the country? I want to insure he isn’t taken away to be quarantined. thank you!
Seren
I’m planning to take my dog to the UK via France and using the pet taxi service. Can the de-worming be administered in the US to enter the UK? I’m confused if it needs to be administered in France instead. So confusing! I was told by my vet that the health certificate will only be to get my dog into France.
DJANGO
Hi Larry! Great to hear from you, and I’m so glad to know our articles helped you out last year when you moved to the UK with your two cats. Since you’re coming from the UK and traveling directly to California, you’re correct that neither a rabies vaccination or other paperwork is required by the state of California for cats once you land in LA. Per California’s Department of Food & Agriculture website, “All domestic cats must be healthy. Neither a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), also known as a health certificate, nor a rabies vaccination is required to import a cat into California; however, if traveling into California via airplane, please call the airline as they may have additional requirements.”.
With that said, definitely check with your airline if any paperwork (rabies vaccination and/or Certificate of Veterinary Inspection) is needed upon arrival at the airport. They may indeed want to see your cat’s rabies vaccination and/or health certificate. Generally speaking, it’s always a good idea to have your cats’ rabies vaccination certificate on hand when arriving back in the US. California requires the rabies certificate for dogs entering the US (not cats), and if the customs person you come across at LA airport isn’t sure of all the rules, they may end up wanting to see it for your cats’ rabies vaccination as well.
Here are two great resources for you:
California Dept of Food & Agriculture: https://www.cdfa.ca.gov/ahfss/Animal_Health/Entry_Requirements.html
CDC: https://www.cdc.gov/importation/bringing-an-animal-into-the-united-states/cats.html
Safe travels to you and your family!
Larry
Hello, I found your website so helpful when we moved to the UK from California with our two cats last year. We are moving back in a few weeks. We are taking the cats in cabin with us from London Heathrow to Los Angeles. Since California does not have any requirements for cats entering, I take that as we don’t have to provide any documentation in London as they are in cabin with us and our final destination does not require paperwork. Was hoping you might know. Thanks!!
A big fan of Django
Hello All,
Just sharing our experience of flying with our French Bulldog from Houston to London with United airlines. First of all, we must say how grateful we were to find out this blog. Thanks to Django and Steph we are in UK with our Frenchie.
We’ve completed all the required forms from United almost two months before the flight. Then we got the approval from United to fly in the cabin with our dog. However they requested approval from DEFRA. It took us sometime to figure out how to contact DEFRA. Then we found out that getting approval from HARC or DEFRA is actually the same thing. By the way, the 10 days rule for the health certificate is really important!
Our only disappointment was the confusion by the United airlines staff. They were quite rude with us. They didn’t want to allow us to do the check-in even with the approved documentation. We almost missed the flight because of this. But there is always someone willing to help. And thanks to those people we were finally able to do the check in. What was funny (not to say “sad”) was that after we struggled to do the check-in, when we passed the gate, some other people came to us stating that “pets could not fly in the cabin for international flights”. Again, same story. We showed them the documentation and after many calls they realized that everything was actually approved. Unfortunately it was clear that they had no experience with flying with pets.
What really make us sad is that flying with pets should not be so stressful. When are they going to realize that pets are family as well? It’s ok that there are people who are allergic to pets or even don’t like them. I totally respect everybody. However there should be an easier way of having our furry family members flying with us without exposing them to risks. Flying via cargo should not be an option unless the environment is safe to accommodate them and it’s monitored the whole trip. There are many solutions for sure. I bet the airlines that put them in place will attract even more customers.
Anyway, we are in UK! And again, thanks with all our heart to Django!
DJANGO
KAYLIN Are you asking how to get a pre-approval letter in advance of your arrival at Manchester Airport? You need to contact Manchester Airport's animal reception centre (aka Pets on Jets). They will be able to issue your pre-approval letter several days in advance of your arrival into Manchester. I would email them sooner than later just to get on their radar! Their email is infopetsonjets.com and their website is http://www.petsonjets.com/. Best of luck to you and your pup, and safe travels!
KAYLIN
Thank you so much for the info! I’ve read your blog several times and can not express the gratitude I have for it enough! I am flying into manchester and I was wondering how do I get pre-approval letter for that? It’s all so confusing.
Thank you for your time,
KayLin
DJANGO
@KAYLIN Hello! Nice to hear from you. In our experience, Delta, United and American are all good options when flying from the US to the UK with a small emotional support dog in cabin. I definitely recommend looking into those three for your Seattle-Manchester flight.
Regarding documentation, you are correct that Virgin Atlantic requires that all assistance dogs flying in cabin have been “trained to a standard that is determined as being acceptable for travel within an aircraft cabin”. This is certainly a stringent requirement. Virgin Atlantic enforces it to ensure there are no unruly dogs onboard that may disrupt the flight or bother other passengers.
Most major US cities have private companies that offer assistance dog training. We’ve not familiar with any specific companies in Seattle so unfortunately cannot recommend one. Best of luck with your upcoming travels!
KayLIN
Hi there! I am planning on flying with my small dog in cabin from Seattle,WA USA to Manchester,UK. I am so confused. I’ve done everything except his health certificate (because of the 10 days). Which airline would you recommend? I wanted to use Virgin Airlines but they must have “proof of training” since he is an ESA dog. He has never been formally trained.How do I go about his? Especially since It is March 10 and we want to leave April 3rd. So any airline recommendations would be greatly appreciated!
DJANGO
@CHARLOTTE Thanks for reaching out! Having UK pet passports for both of your dogs makes the process simpler for you. Assuming your dogs’ pet passports and rabies vaccinations are still valid, your dogs (1) DO NOT need a clinical examination by USDA certified vet, and (2) DO need to be treated for tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) 24 – 120 hours (1 – 5 days) prior to entry into the UK. Tapeworm treatment can be recorded in your dogs’ EU Pet Passport by a USDA Accredited Veterinarian.
Are your dogs emotional support animals? If yes, United, American Airlines, and Delta allow in-cabin pet travel to the United Kingdom. If not, your dogs will have to fly in the hold again. Your other option, as you mentioned, is to fly in-cabin with them to Charles de Gaulle and drive to the UK.
Hope this helps! Safe travels to you and your pups!
charlotte
My two cavalier x bichon dogs are from the UK and have EU and UK pet passports . Had rabies injection which was a 3 yr and will last till June 2021 . They were microchipped in the UK . What additional paperwork will I need ? an independent vet certificate 10 days prior to flying from Miami to UK or happy to go from USA to Charles de galle & drive to UK , they are around 22 lbs each . Thanks in advance . They flew out to USA in the hold in airline approved crates & were fine on arrival 9 hrs flight
DJANGO
THIS IS AN UPDATE TO OUR BELOW COMMENT FROM 12/18/19
Although representatives from both London Heathrow and Manchester Airport animal reception centres told us via email that CATS properly documented as emotional support animals could fly in cabin from the US to UK, we received the below answer today from Pets On Jets. And for further clarification, Pets on Jets is the licensed entity that accepts the arrival of pets over 6 months of age on a non-commercial basis at Manchester Airport in England.
We asked:
“We want to verify once more that cats are allowed to fly in-cabin from the US to the UK (LHR or Manchester Airport) so long as they are emotional support animals with proper documentation. Would you please confirm this is indeed correct?”
Pets on Jets responded (emphasis is theirs):
“NO, Unfortunately CATS have never been allowed or permitted to travel in the cabin as they are not considered for any assistance. Only Dogs can be accept as Emotional support!!”
Suffice it to say, CATS are NOT ALLOWED IN CABIN from the US to the UK under any circumstances and can only enter the UK on planes via cargo.
DJANGO
@ANNA Hello! Thank you so much for sharing your findings. We actually received completely different answers from both London Heathrow animal reception centre (HARC) and Manchester Airport just this week. After reviewing your comment, we reached out ourselves to both airport animal reception centers. Representatives from each airport stated that cats can travel in cabin from the US to the UK as emotional support animals with correct documentation. And just to be clear, you are correct that cats are not recognized as service animals (both here in the US and in the UK).
Here is the 12/16/19 response from Erin, an Animal Health Officer at Heathrow Animal Reception Centre:
“Cats can travel as emotional support animals with correct documentation. Information of which can be found on our website… https://www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/services/animal-health-welfare/heathrow-animal-reception-centre/Pages/Assistance-Animals.aspx”
We replied to verify the information since the website above is titled ‘Assistance dogs’. Erin replied back confirming “The same requirements still apply” to emotional support cats.
Here is the 12/18/19 response from Anthony of Manchester Airport:
“Your airline are responsible for informing you with all the key information on how to bring your cat from the USA back to the UK. Cats are permitted like dogs so long as all the essential documentation is in order.”
We’ve separately reached out to petsonjets.com to reverify the Manchester Airport contact’s statement and will follow back up here once we get an answer.
Anna
Hey, if this helps anyone, I spoke to both London and Manchester (UK) airport animal service desks this week as I am transporting a cat back from the States to the UK. They both told me that cats are not recognized as service animals, ESA or allowed in cabin AT ALL when flying into the UK (from the States). Dogs would be allowed if registered service animals or ESA approved but not any other animal. Wanted to share as the airline told me the cat would be OK in cabin if ESA approved – which he is – but the airport won’t accept him on arrival if I were to be able to get him into the cabin even State side. I am now looking into cargo carriers instead and United airlines told me you have to pay a third party provider to arrange this for you. They won’t let you do this direct with the airline, they will only work through a third party provider (average cost $2.5K). United gave me this website to find a third party provider: https://www.ipata.org. Hope that helps anyone with a cat so they don’t try and go down the ESA route by mistake as I did! Good luck anyone travelling. I am hoping to go within the week. You sure need a lot of patience for this Kafka-esq process, and be prepared to lose your mind/cry a few times along the way. ;p Thank goodness for alcohol. :)
DJANGO
@CHINYERE OKORO Hello! Just to be clear, most dogs and cats CANNOT fly in cabin to London or other cities in the United Kingdom. The only exceptions are registered service animals and, in some cases, assistance animals. Emotional support animals at are considered assistance animals.
Unless your Maltese qualifies as a service animal or assistance animal, there is no way to bring him or her in the cabin with you. Additionally, even if your Maltese is an assistance animal, that does not necessarily mean there is an airline flying the Nigeria-UK route that acknowledges and allows ESAs onboard.
If your Maltese is a a service animal, you can bring him or her in cabin. If your Maltese is an ESA, you should see which airline options you have and contact them to see if they allow ESAs onboard to the UK. Many major international airlines only allow ESAs onboard on flights to/from the USA (since ESAs are largely a US thing). If your dog is not a service or assistance animal, you cannot fly in cabin with your pet to the UK. In this case, you should read our article above for all other options of getting to the UK with your pup.
Below is a great resource with every major airline’s international pet policy. Hope this helps!
DJANGO DOG BLOG – INTERNATIONAL AIRLINE PET POLICIES FOR IN-CABIN TRAVEL:
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel
Chinyere Okoro
This surely is a chest of vital information.
Just so I clearly understand
Can my Maltese travel in cabin with me from Nigeria to London?
Which airline has this provision
DJANGO
@LIZ DICKSON Thank you for the kind comment! We’re so glad to hear we could help you with your travel planning and answer some of your questions. Definitely reach back out if any questions arise! If we don’t hear from you, have a wonderful trip to London and Paris, and safe travels!
p.s. If you’re going to take Miss Sophie back to the EU again, I definitely recommend getting her an EU Pet Passport. We got Django his EU pet passport in Paris at Clinique Vétérinaire de l’Horloge (26 Rue Beaubourg) and highly recommend them. They were incredibly kind, gentle with Django, and reasonably priced.
Liz Dickson
You are Godsend!! Thank you for sharing this incredible info and answering all my questions even without asking! So grateful I found your website.
We are looking to take my ESA pooch Miss Sophie (Domestic Frequent flyer) to London for for Christmas and then Paris for New Years.(Two weeks Vacay) You’ve opened my eyes and fed me great information I didn’t know excited! I truly appreciate you for creating this website for people like us. I feel confident now that this is doable! Miss Sophie and I Thank Much!!!! Woof!!
DJANGO
@AMANDA Thanks for the question! Although the UK government doesn’t recognize ESAs as service animals, when departing the UK you simply need to book with an airline that does indeed recognize ESAs. Most major international airlines that fly from the UK to the USA will recognize and allow ESAs in cabin, especially US airlines like United, Delta, and American. And regarding size, if your dog has all of the proper ESA paperwork, it should not matter if he’s on the larger size.
DJANGO
@NICOLE Hi Nicole! I’m so glad to hear you found our other article “How to take your dog or cat to Europe” useful! Here’s the link for any others reading this >>>>> https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe
Regarding your ‘To Do’ list for pet travel to the UK, you forgot one very important thing: microchipping. Dogs must be microchipped by an ISO compliant (11784 and 11785) microchip. If you need to get your pet microchipped, you also must give your dog a new rabies vaccine on the same day of microchip implantation or after. This vaccination must be given more than 21 days before entry into the UK.
Regarding blood testing (#2), it is our understanding that right now this only needs to be done if you are coming from an unlisted country. The USA is a listed country, so blood testing isn’t relevant. With that said, the rules will change after Brexit. For example, if there is a no-deal Brexit, dogs will indeed need to take a blood test and prove a successful rabies antibody blood test result.
When flying out of the UK/LHR, you must comply with the requirements of the destination country. For the US, this means having your International Health Certificate (or EU Pet Passport) and rabies vaccination certificate with you upon arrival for customs.
One last important thing to add re: Brexit. Our article doesn’t take into account Brexit. We’re waiting to see where all the pieces fall before publishing anything. If you are planning travel far in advance, here’s a very good guide published by the UK government on pet travel after Brexit >> https://www.gov.uk/guidance/pet-travel-to-europe-after-brexit
Hope this helps, Nicole. Best of luck with your travels!!
Amanda
This is super helpful info!
However, how do you get an ESA from the UK back into the US if they are not recognized as ESAs? Are they allowed in cabin? I have a large dog ESA that typically would just sit at my feet on a flight, but is this permissible on a U.K.—> U.S. flight?
Thanks!
Nicole
I’m so glad I came across this article because I’ve been trying to piece together different pieces of information from google and this post and “HOW TO TAKE YOUR DOG OR CAT TO EUROPE” seems to explain it quite clearly.
I am trying to bring my corgi mix from JFK to LHR beginning of Jan 2020. From what I gathered in your post and other online sources, it seems the following is needed:
1) Vaccinated for Rabies
2) I read that 30 days after vaccination, a blood test is needed. Is this true?
3) Have an accredited vet in issue an International Health Certificate (must be done within 10 days of traveling to London)
4) Have APHIS endorse the International Health Certificate
5) Tapeworm treatment done no more than 5 days before enterting the UK.
6) Contact Heathrow’s Animal Reception Centre for pre-approval letter, compliant with the Pet Travel Scheme, and arriving on an approved airline. (at least 72 hours notice).
Am I missing anything from my list?
I have my dog’s ESA papers and have flown within the states with him often. Having that said, I usually just submit these papers to the airline 2-3 days prior travel by email.
If I were traveling to LHR from LAX, apart from submitted ESA papers to my airline, who am I submitting the documents (outlined in 1-5 on this post) to? Is it also to Heathrow HARC by email or do I just need the documents (rabies vaccination proof, International health certificate, tape worm proof, etc) at hand to present to customs upon arrival?
Thank you for your help with my questions above. I just want to make absolutely sure I have everything I need to make sure my baby is not quarantined.
Nicole
DJANGO
@YI ZHANG Thanks for your question! You ask a great question about the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre’s checking fee. Emotional Support Animals are indeed subject to the checking fee of £390 UNLESS the dog has been specifically trained for air travel assistance. Below is a statement from Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC):
“Only animals which have been trained by an organisation that is a member of International Guide Dog Federation or Assistance dogs International are considered recognised service animals and are therefore not applicable to the fee. Dogs which have received equivalent training or testing specifically in regards to air travel may be recognised on a case by case basis however we would need to see the certification before clarifying. If your emotional support dog has not had the equivalent training and has been prescribed by your doctor/therapist then the fee will be applicable.” – HARC
Yi Zhang
Thank you for all the information you listed! It helps me a lot while I am preparing to move to London and take my ESA dog in cabin. I am so glad that you mention that we need to contact the appropriate ‘Animal Reception Centre’ at the destination U.K. airport prior to departure. I did some research on this part, and I found on the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre page, they only mention assistance dogs but not ESA. I wonder if they will charge a checking fee for an ESA?
DJANGO
@JACLYN O’MARRA Hi Jaclyn! Thanks for your questions.
We referred to the International Health Certificate several times in our article “How to Take Your Dog or Cat to Europe”. This is the same thing as a Third-Party Official Veterinary Certificate (what the UK calls it) and a Canadian International Health Certificate (what the Canadian government calls it).
As you mentioned, APHIS endorsement is required for US health certificates. Since you are in Canada, you will need your health certificate similarly endorsed by an official government veterinarian.
You do not need an EU Pet Passport to bring your pup from France to UK; the endorsed health certificate is all you need. With that said, you may want to get an EU Pet Passport while you’re abroad if you will be traveling back and forth to Europe with your Shih Tzu mix. Mike and I (Steph) got our dachshund Django an EU Pet Passport while we were staying in Paris. We have plans to bring him back to Europe and wanted to save money down the road (getting an International Health Certificate in the US is expensive and time consuming).
Here’s one other article you may find useful!
DJANGO Dog Blog: DOES MY DOG NEED A PASSPORT?
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/does-my-dog-need-a-passport
Jaclyn O'Marra
Thank you so much for this article!! I am travelling to London from Toronto with my Shih Tzu mix. I refuse to fly him over cargo given that he is a snubbed nose dog and has crate anxiety. I would like to fly to CDG and take the Eurotunnel from Calais.
I am still a little lost on the paperwork, hoping you can clarify/confirm the following:
(1) International Health Certificate – based on your “How to take your dog to Europe”, this is needed to bring him into France and can be obtained from an accredited vet in Toronto ( APHIS approval shouldn’t be applicable given that I am Canadian).
(2) Third-Country Official Veterinary Certificate – based on DEFRA, this is needed to bring him into the UK. Is this the same thing as an International Health Certificate above?
Do I also need to get a pet passport to bring him from France to UK? Or is having the above paperwork reviewed and approved at Pet Reception in Calais sufficient?
Your help is very much appreciated! Thank you, Jaclyn
DJANGO
@BEN TAYLOR Hi Ben! Thanks for your question. And yes, that’s exactly right. Although the UK government doesn’t technically recognize ESAs (ESAs and Therapy Dogs are definitely a United States thing…), ESAs are still allowed to enter the UK in-cabin via select US airlines.
Regarding your question “What happens when you arrive in the UK and go the the animal reception centre with a non service animal (ESA) that has travelled in cabin with you? They just let you in?”… if you scroll up to our section on ESAs, you’ll see that you must contact the ‘Animal Reception Centre’ at your destination U.K. airport prior to departure. They need to know you are coming AND get all paperwork in order so when you arrive at the UK airport there are no issues and/or surprises. Since you are very concerned about booking travel with your pup, I definitely think it’s wise to call your destination airport ‘Animal Reception Centre’ today to re-confirm their procedures. This should give you peace of mind.
And to be clear, we (Mike and Steph) have not yet traveled to the UK with our dachshund Django. Rather, we have done a ton of research around the subject since Mike (Django’s Dad) works for a UK company and travels to/from London throughout the year.. We’ve spoken to reps from Delta, American and United on MANY occasions to confirm that all of the above information is accurate. The last time we contacted all three airlines was June 2019.
Ben Taylor
Also, thank you very much for this article. It is extremely helpful! I just really need to clarify this particular point
Ben Taylor
So, I’m confused…UK doesn’t allow any dogs to fly in cabin to the UK, but some airlines will allow you to fly with an ESA to the UK, BUT… the UK doesn’t recognize ESA’s as service animals… So… What happens when you arrive in the UK and go the the animal reception centre with a non service animal (ESA) that has travelled in cabin with you? They just let you in? Is this something that you have actually done? I ask because this is exactly what I am attempting to do, but I am terrified of being denied entry to the UK with my ESA dog because he travelled in the cabin with me, and not in cargo. Can you give me any clarity on this paradoxical information?
DJANGO
@ANGELA Hello and thanks for the comment! I’m so glad our article is helping you plan your trip over to the UK!
Regarding high quality airline pet carriers, I wish I could tell you what the best one is! My husband Mike and I (Steph) have used Sherpa’s standard airline carrier in size large (Django is 16" from neck to base of tail and 14.5 lbs). Do I love it? No… It is durable (and well rated as a result), but it is not comfortable for humans. The shoulder strap is hard and digs into my and Mike’s shoulder. It’s so uncomfortable that we usually take Django out of the carrier once we’re through security. The interior base could also have nicer padding for Django’s comfort.
We are actually in the process of designing a higher quality pet airline carrier now for DJANGO (djangobrand.com) and Amazon (link to our storefront below)…something a lot more comfy than what’s currently out there :) Our Sherpa carrier and experience with a other low cost/quality travel bags was the inspiration for our new product. We wanted something a LOT more comfortable for us as well as Django. We travel too much with him to be uncomfortable!
DJANGO on Amazon (storefront): https://www.amazon.com/stores/page/D653CD60-9D4F-4EE5-9918-BFBF790A084D
Angela
This is amazing info – thank you for taking the time to research and share this here! Do you recommend any particular carrier for the in-cabin flights? We will be flying Air France and know we need to stick to their dimensions but do you recommend any particular brand of carrier? What do you use?
MICHELE BLUMENTHAL
You are a wealth of information! Thank you! This is much appreciated. I have been reading so many articles online about the right way to bring over a Frenchie and it’s been very confusing. I’m so happy I found you. You’ve made it very clear.
DJANGO
@MICHELE BLUMENTHAL Hey Michele! No, you don’t need a pet passport to bring Domingo to Europe. Rather, you need to get an International Health Certificate from an Accredited veterinarian. Our article “How to take your dog to Europe” explains all of this as well as a few other steps you need to take before the trip.
Correct, Le Shuttle is from Calais only, not CDG; you need to arrange transportation from CDG to Calais separately. There are both train and buses that run between CDG and Calais. The trains are definitely pet friendly – you can find their pet policy info and book tickets at en.oui.sncf.
Is Domingo microchipped? If no, he’ll need to be microchipped and then receive another rabies vaccination. If yes, it sounds like his recent rabies vaccination should be fine – but reconfirm with your Accredited Vet, they’ll be able to confirm with full confidence!
@MICHELE BLUMENTHAL
Thank you for your reply. You have provided me with so much info. I have a couple more questions. Do I need to obtain a pet passport in Los Angeles in order to bring my dog from LAX to CDG? And what do you recommend as transport from CDG to Calais? I’m assuming Le Shuttle is just from Calais to Dover? Or does Le Shuttle go from CDG to Dover?
We just flew with Domingo (Frenchie) to Maui and have the rabies titer good for UK entry as well, so I’m assuming the only new test he’ll need is the tapeworm test?
Ugh! This is such a hassle to bring him over to the UK.
Thank you for your help.
Michele
DJANGO
@NAOMI Hey there! Thanks for reaching out to us! That’s great you’re visiting London with your Jack Russell this summer! Regarding dog food, here’s a great resource for you:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/personal-food-plant-and-animal-product-imports#food-from-outside-the-eu-details-of-restrictions
Assuming your pup has no dietary restrictions or medical issues, I recommend bringing a small sealed bag or 2 of dry dog food on the plane with you (i.e. enough for 2-3 meals a.k.a. just enough to last until you arrive at your hotel). Then simply purchase a bag of dog food upon your arrival in London from a local pet store. Assuming you’re staying downtown, you shouldn’t have any issues finding a pet store in your neighborhood. This will save you the hassle of dragging a bag of dog food across the pond! This is what we (Mike and Steph) did when we flew with our dachshund Django to France.
Naomi
Hi. We are excited to visit London with our Jack Russell this summer. Are we allowed to bring dog food from US to the UK?
DJANGO
@ANA S. Hello and nice to hear from you! UK pet travel is definitely a tricky issue, especially compared to other international pet travel. As we highlight above, the main reason for this is the UK Pet Travel Scheme which limits all pets except service animals from entering the UK via in-cabin airline travel.
Regarding pet travel TO the USA from the UK, the great news is that there is no UK policy prohibiting in-cabin travel. With that said, some airlines like Delta still do not allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK. I can’t explain why they do this… perhaps it’s simply easier for them internally to have one UK pet policy that extends for all travel routes.
In any case, you can definitely fly your kitten in-cabin to Boston Logan assuming you book with the right airline. I know for a fact that Lufthansa and United allow in-cabin pet travel from the UK to the US. While I can’t tell you every other airline that will work, we have a great resource that will help your search:
DJANGO: International Airline Pet Policies for In-Cabin Travel
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/international-airline-pet-policies-for-in-cabin-travel
We also link to the article above under “Additional Resources”!
You can see that several airlines do not permit in-cabin travel at all regardless of destination (i.e. British Airways), so you can at least cross these off your list! I’d recommend seeing what airlines have flights that meet your timeline and budget, checking the article I linked to to see if they allow in-cabin travel, then giving them a call to confirm your kitten can fly in-cabin.
One last thing to keep in mind… how old is your kitten? Many airlines have minimum age requirements. You can also see those on the article I linked to above!
Hope this helps! Let us know which airline you ultimately go with!
Ana S.
Hi! I have been looking all over for an answer to what I thought was a simple question and Google pointed me to your website—it’s great!
I would like to travel from London Heathrow to Boston Logan with a kitten in cabin with me and was given mixed answers to whether or not this is possible. Would you know whether we can travel from Heathrow with a pet in the passenger cabin to Boston? And if that is indeed possible, which airlines allow this? I contacted Air France and they said no pets in cabin as this is a general UK rule and not an airline limit, while United said yes. So I am really confused. Thank you so much for any help you can give!
Sincerely,
Ana
DJANGO
@MICHELE BLUMENTHAL Hello and thanks for your question! When your husband and your dog arrive in Calais, France, and before getting on Le Shuttle, he and your pup MUST stop by Pet Reception so your dog’s health certificate (or EU Pet Passport) can be reviewed and approved before boarding. This is mandatory. It is our understanding that Pet Reception in Calais, France can review and approve of your pup’s paperwork so you do not have to be slowed down once you arrive in the UK.
And yes, all dogs traveling to the UK must have mandatory tapeworm treatment administered by a vet between 24–120 hours before arrival in the UK. Customs officials can refuse travel if your dog’s tapeworm treatment is not administered in time or correctly documented by a vet.
Here are two additional articles that will help you out in advance of your travels:
HOW TO TAKE YOUR DOG TO EUROPE: https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe
DOES MY DOG NEED A PASSPORT: https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/does-my-dog-need-a-passport
EUROTUNNEL LE SHUTTLE – PETS: https://help.eurotunnel.com/hc/en-gb/sections/201913709-Pets
Safe travels to your husband and your frenchie Domingo!
michele blumenthal
Hi! I have a question regarding the travel of Frenchie from Paris to UK. My husband will bring the dog from LAX to Paris on Air France and then do the shuttle service over to Folkstone. Will there be a customs check of the dog when he arrives in Folkestone from France? Or, does he just hop on the train directly from shuttle service (Folkestone Taxi). Will we be needing the tapeworm certificate, etc?
Thank you in advance for your help. Your website is most helpful.
Thanks,
Michele and Frenchie (Domingo)
DJANGO
@PAT BOON Hello! We’re so glad you found our article useful. When you ask if there will be a “problem with British immigration”, do you mean once you arrive in the UK via Option 1 above (Eurotunnel)? Assuming you completed all the proper documentation and assuming your pet is healthy (i.e. not displaying any signs of illness or disease at the time of travel), there is no risk that your pet is quarantined. Regarding Pet Reception, it is our understanding that they can review and approve of your papers while you are still in France so you do not have to be slowed down once you arrive in the UK.
And no, you do not have to be an EU citizen in order to travel via these options!
Pat Boon
Thank you so much for posting this. It’s like a light at the end of a dark tunnel! :) I was wondering if it is going to be a problem with the British immigration? Or will the Pet Reception take care and approve of everything? The last thing I want is for my dog to go into quarantine :( Also, do you have to be an EU citizen in order to be able to travel via those options? Please let me know as it would help me so much! XX
DJANGO
Hi Cary! Thanks for your comment and question. Yes, you’re right that driving a left-hand drive vehicle in a right-hand drive country is not easy or even enjoyable. And you’ll have to ultimately return the car to its rental company in France. As for whether you should stay in the UK with the car for a little while or instead head back to Europe immediately… that is entirely up to you! We don’t have personal experience driving in the UK with a left-hand drive vehicle so unfortunately can’t tell you how easy or difficult it is!
One more option you have is to drop off your sister and her cats in the UK, immediately return the vehicle to France on your own, then go BACK into the UK via EuroTunnel (and pet free) so you can meet back up with your sister and spend time with her there before ultimately flying home. Obviously this option isn’t ideal, but it’s one way to give you more time with your sister in the UK without the headache of a left-hand drive vehicle!
Please let us know what you ultimately end up doing! We’d love to hear how your experience goes.
Cary Stearns
Hey! Thank you for posting this! I’m helping my sister move to the UK and she has two cats and we were desperate for info on what to do. We’ll be taking the eurotunnel from France, I guess, but we’ll have to have a rental car since no companies seem to be able to ferry with pets and passenger only. I was wondering if you would have any advice on what to do with your car after taking the eurotunnel? I wouldn’t really be too interested in driving a left sided car on a right sided road (you know what I mean), should I just drop my sister off with the cats and immediately turn around and take the eurotunnel back to drop the car off in France? Thank you!
DJANGO
@CAROL Hello! So long as the UK is still part of the European Union, the paperwork requirements for going to France and England are largely the same. Your cat will (1) need microchip identification (2) a new rabies vaccination after microchip implantation, if applicable (3) wait 21 days after rabies vaccination, if applicable (4) Get an International Health Certificate from an Accredited Vet (5) Get the International Health Certificate endorsed by the Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
Our article “How to Take Your Dog (or Cat) To Europe” outlines the whole process. Please know that Step 6 (Tapeworm Treatment) only applies to dogs traveling to the UK, not cats.
DJANGO: How to Take Your Dog (or Cat) To Europe:
https://djangobrand.com/blogs/news/how-to-take-your-dog-to-europe
Carol
Trying to find a way to get my cat from USA to UK ship was my first choice but a 2 year waiting list for a kennel. I’m getting all the paperwork together for the UK requirements, will the same paperwork get us into France and also into the UK if we tried to fly from Paris to England?
Gaston Daviron
Good luck renting a car that you can drive from France to England! I have yet to find a rental company that will allow you to do that. The insurance is different, and Brexit will not facilitate the process.
However, you can lease a TT car. Look at ttcar.com. You have to take a Renault, a Citroen or a Peugeot. The prices are good, however.
DJANGO
Michelle, hello! Thanks so much for reaching out. Although we are not experienced with the travel requirements for rabbits when flying to/from the UK, I have a few ideas you may or may not have considered… First, have you looked into flights from London to Boston, MA? These flights are typically slightly shorter in duration than flights departing from Edinburgh; or flights heading to NYC’s JFK. I see several London-Boston flights under the 8 hour duration limit. Obviously your daughter would have to break up her trip in two flights (first to London, then to the US), but this may be the only option to successfully circumvent the 8 hour flight duration max.
Second, has your daughter looked into making her rabbit an emotional support animal (ESA)? From what I understand, all domesticated animals may qualify as an ESA. Although certain airlines may limit ESA allowances to dogs and cats, this definitely is still worth looking into. If you can find an airline that welcomes rabbit ESAs, the 8 hour flight duration limit should no longer apply to your daughter’s rabbit.
Hope this helps! Good luck to your daughter, and congrats on her move back to the US!
Michelle
Do you have any advice for flying a rabbit out of the UK. My daughter lives in Scotland, is moving back to the USA and has a 9 year old floppy earred bunny. She is adamant about not putting her in cargo. I have researched airlines that allow rabbits in cabin and it seems the flights must be 8 hours or less, which precludes most flights from Europe to USA.
DJANGO
@SARAH WRIGHT I’m so glad you found this useful! Please let me know if any questions arise as you’re planning your move abroad! I’m happy to help in any way I can. And a huge congrats on your upcoming move to London! So exciting :)
Sarah Wright
Thank you so much for this info! We’re moving to London with two kitties and I was so anxious, specifically about bringing one of my kitties with a heart condition, on Cargo. This is such a HUGE relief! I am definitely going the through-Paris option. Thanks!
DJANGO
Hi Eric! Thanks for your question. It sounds like you have the most difficult and confusing parts of your travel plans sorted – specifically departing China with the correct paperwork and arranging transportation to the UK. That’s great news.
Regarding your arrival in France, I can only let you know what my experience was last summer. My husband I traveled to Paris from New York with Django, our long-haired dachshund. Surprisingly, we did not need to visit any animal/vegetation/agriculture customs specialist upon our arrival. We simply went through passport control as usual and made our way out of Charles de Gaulle airport. No one asked to see Django’s paperwork at any stage (including passport control). When we arrived back in New York a few weeks later, I had to show Django’s paperwork to a special JFK customs employee in the baggage claim before leaving.
Interesting enough, I did a quick google search and found another person saying the same thing – that no one at CDG checked the dogs before airport departure. With that said, I would definitely keep your cats’ up-to-date health papers in hand just in case protocol has changed.
Eric Forbes
I am bringing my three cats to the UK from China, with Air France via Paris Charles de Gaulle in November.
So far I have sorted, at great expense an agent to handle all the paperwork and procedures required to depart China and enter France.
I am also going to book transport to the UK with one of the pet transport companies, which is pretty straightforward.
However, I am quite confused about the process of arrival in France and clearing customs/immigration with the cats.
My Chinese agent informs me that I should use an agent to handle all this, but I have read stories that suggest it is a very simple process, which as long as you have the correct paperwork.
Any feedback on this would be appreciated.
Eric
DJANGO
Hi Kylee! Thanks for your question and congrats on your upcoming move overseas! Unless your dog is a registered service animal, it will be difficult finding an airline that allows him in the cabin given his size. Most international airlines have weight restrictions for in-cabin pets; these usually max out at 20lbs. Even emotional support animals are required to be “seated in the floor space below your seat” and cannot take up space in the aisle.
You bring up a great alternative route – sea travel. Cunard’s Queen Mary 2 is the only ship that allows the transatlantic transportation of dogs from NYC to Southhampton, England. There are 24 kennels that are overseen by a “Kennel Master” who walks, feeds and cleans the pet area. From what I understand, the kennels are open throughout the day so pet owners can visit and walk their dogs as often as they’d like. You can find more about the kennel arrangements by calling Cunard at (800) 728-6273.
The downside to sea travel is the time commitment (7 days at sea). The price will also be higher than economy air travel, especially once you account for your pet’s care.All that said, this may be a really great option for you and your larger dog – and the only way to avoid putting him in cargo.
Let me know what you end up doing and good luck to you guys!
Link to the Queen Mary 2: https://www.cunard.com/cruise-ships/queen-mary-2/
Leave a comment
Comments will be approved before showing up.
Also in DJANGO Dog Blog
Oma's Pride Raw Dog Food Review: Premium Raw Dog Food, Meaty Bones, and Treats
Mike and I (Steph) began feeding raw dog food to our long-haired dachshund, Django, back in 2022. Since then, we've always been on the lookout for the best raw dog food brands. One reputable brand we recently discovered is Oma's Pride.
Interestingly, Oma's Pride is anything but new. In fact, the Connecticut-based company has been manufacturing raw dog food since the 90s—longer than anyone else on the market!
In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we provide a detailed review of premium raw dog food company Oma's Pride and their most popular raw dog food recipes. We also provide our thoughts on several Oma's Pride treats, toppers, and raw meaty bones.
The Best Rugs for Dogs That Pee
Even if your dog is the most well-trained pup, pee accidents happen. Our dachshund Django, for instance, is well trained and housebroken. Every so often, however, Django will have a pee accident in our house. Usually this happens when we're distracted by work or busy with our toddlers and forget to take Django outside on time. Occasionally a pee accident will happen simply because Django gets super excited and can't control his bladder.
So, what are the best rugs for dogs? What types of rugs are best for families with small children? What rug fabric types are best for dog owners?
In this DJANGO Dog Blog article, we highlight the best types of rugs for dogs, families with kids, and pets. We consider durability, stain-resistance, and ease of cleaning. Are you looking for a dog-proof rug and pee-proof rug? Keep reading!
15 Thoughtful Holiday Gift Ideas for Dog Lovers and Their Pups
Calling all dog lovers and four-legged family! Unleash happiness this holiday season with our thoughtful dog lovers gift guide that is sure to have tails wagging and hoomans grinning. From beautiful handcrafted cotton rope dog leashes to super stylish weatherproof boots to drool-worthy dog treats, we (DJANGO) have rounded up the crème de la crème of dog gifts for you and every devoted dog lover in your life.
One more thing? We have included incredible discounts for most of our best dog gift recommendations! We have a wide-reaching, dog loving audience, and almost all brands have given us exclusive promo codes for our pawsome readers. Happy shopping, furends!
© 2024 DJANGO. Powered by Shopify
David H.
October 25, 2023
I’ve just found your blog and thank you. When I left the UK in 2021 and moved back to the states, I had to transit through Europe to get Ollie back. So LHR – CDG – NYC. As it now appears I may have to transit with him back. I’m thinking of transiting through Dublin, as I can bring him through Dublin to London. Every other aspect of my move was fine, this was super stressful!