There is a specific kind of dread that comes from being at an airport check-in desk, or a land border crossing, and realising you've forgotten something. With a human passenger, "forgotten something" might mean buying a toothbrush at the pharmacy. With a pet, it can mean being turned away entirely — or worse, your animal being held while you scramble for documentation you should have had weeks ago.
The antidote is a checklist. Not a vague one. A thorough, sequenced, realistic one that tells you what to do and when — not just what to pack.
This is that checklist.
It covers everything you need before travelling with a dog or cat, whether you're flying to another continent, taking the ferry across the Channel, putting your pet in a professional transport van for a European relocation, or simply driving to a holiday destination a few countries away. The sections are organised by timeline first (what to do months out vs. the week before vs. the day of travel), then by transport type, so you can skip straight to what's relevant to your journey.
Bookmark this page. Come back to it often. Your pet will thank you — or at least not hold it against you.
Before you open a single checklist section, answer these four questions. They determine which parts of this guide apply to you and what your preparation timeline needs to look like.
1. Where are you going?
Domestic travel and international travel have very different requirements. International travel to a rabies-free country (Australia, Japan, Singapore, UK, New Zealand, Hawaii) has the most demanding requirements of all. Identify your destination country and whether it's on the UK/EU's "listed" countries register, or classified as higher-risk.
2. How is your pet travelling?
By air (cabin or hold), by road in your own vehicle, by a professional courier or transport van, by ferry, or a combination? Each mode of transport has its own sub-checklist, covered below.
3. What is your pet's size, breed, and health status?
A small, healthy cat and a large, brachycephalic dog are different planning projects entirely. Breed restrictions, weight limits, hold cargo bans, and health certificate requirements all depend on who your pet is, not just where you're going.
4. How much lead time do you have?
If you have six or more months, great — everything in this guide is achievable. If you have six weeks, some options may already be closing. The timeline sections below will tell you exactly where you stand.
This timeline applies if your destination requires a rabies antibody titre test — including Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Singapore, Hawaii, and entry to the UK from non-listed countries. Even if you don't need a titre test, starting this early gives you maximum flexibility.
Documents — carry on your person, not in checked bags:
For the carrier / crate:
Food and water:
Health and comfort:
Identification:
Two hours before departure (or handover time):
At the point of departure / check-in:
During the journey:
On arrival:
For easy reference, here's every document that might be required — and when.
| Document | Domestic | Intra-EU | International | Required timing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Microchip record | Recommended | Required | Required | Before vaccination |
| Vaccination certificate | Recommended | Required | Required | Before travel |
| EU Pet Passport | Not required | Required | Not applicable | Ongoing |
| Veterinary health certificate | Not required | Required (AHC for UK entry) | Required | Within 10 days of travel |
| Government endorsement | Not required | Required (some countries) | Required | After vet signs cert |
| Rabies titre test | Not required | Required (some countries) | Required (rabies-free destinations) | 3–6 months before travel |
| Import permit | Not required | Not required | Required (AU, NZ, JP, SG, MY) | Weeks to months in advance |
| Tapeworm treatment record | Not required | Not required | Required (UK, IE, FI, NO, MT) | 24–120 hours before arrival |
| Parasite treatment record | Not required | Not required | Required (AU and others) | Per country requirements |
Vaccinating before microchipping. The microchip must be implanted before the rabies vaccination is administered for the timeline to be legally valid. If you get this order wrong, the vaccination may need to be repeated.
Booking the health certificate appointment too early. A health certificate is typically valid for only 10 days from the date of examination. Book the vet appointment 7–10 days before travel, not weeks in advance.
Forgetting that the UK has different rules on arrival vs departure. No pet can enter the UK in the cabin of any commercial aircraft. Pets coming into the UK also need an AHC, tapeworm treatment, and must arrive via approved routes. This applies even if you're only transiting.
Not confirming the pet's space on the flight, only booking your own seat. Airlines limit the number of pets per flight. Adding a pet is a separate booking step. Assuming it will be sorted at check-in is a gamble that regularly doesn't pay off.
Assuming a titre test is instant. If your destination requires a titre test and a waiting period, you may be looking at 4–7 months of lead time. This is the most commonly underestimated timeline element in international pet travel.
Weighing the pet without the carrier. The weight limit for in-cabin travel is the combined weight of the pet plus the carrier plus everything inside it. Always weigh the whole package together.
Not crate training in advance. A pet that has never been in a carrier before travel day will experience significantly more stress than one who regards it as a familiar, safe space. This cannot be rushed — start weeks in advance.
Sedating without vet guidance. Self-administered sedation before a flight can be dangerous. Many airlines explicitly forbid it. If your pet's anxiety is a genuine concern, discuss calming options with your vet well before travel — not the night before departure.
Preparation is one thing. Finding the right people to trust with your pet's actual journey is another.
Get Pet Go is a booking platform where verified pet transport services post their services for pet owners to compare and book. Whether you need:
...Get Pet Go lets you filter by pet size, travel type, destination, and date availability — so you're comparing providers who can actually take your booking, not just the ones who happen to rank on Google.
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For domestic travel, microchip records and vaccination history are usually sufficient. For international travel, you typically need a veterinary health certificate issued within 10 days of travel, plus the original vaccination certificate. Depending on your destination, you may also need a government-endorsed version of the health certificate, a rabies titre test result, an import permit, and records of parasite treatments. See the full breakdown in our guide: International Pet Travel Requirements.
For most European destinations, 6–8 weeks is the minimum realistic timeframe, assuming your pet is already microchipped and vaccinated. For destinations that require a titre test and waiting period — Australia, Japan, New Zealand, Singapore, Hawaii, or the UK from a non-listed country — start 6–12 months in advance.
At minimum: all original documentation in a folder you carry personally, a compliant carrier that meets your airline's exact dimensions, spill-proof water access, absorbent bedding, a worn item of your clothing, pre-portioned food, any medications, and an ID tag with your international contact number. For hold travel, add IATA-approved rigid crate with live animal labels and your contact details clearly marked on the outside.
For domestic road travel within the same country, no. For international road travel — including crossing from the UK to Europe via Eurotunnel or ferry — yes, a veterinary health certificate is required, valid for the date of travel. For UK entry, an Animal Health Certificate (AHC) is specifically required, endorsed by an Official Vet. Always check requirements for every country your route passes through, not just your final destination.
Calming supplements — not sedation — can be helpful for some anxious animals, but must be discussed with your vet well before travel day. Sedation is not recommended for air travel as it can suppress respiratory function and is prohibited by many airlines. Your vet is best placed to recommend whether a supplement is appropriate and which one is right for your specific pet.
For cabin flights: ensure it is soft-sided, within your airline's dimension requirements, and has been familiarised to your pet over several weeks before travel. For hold travel: use a rigid IATA-approved crate, affix live animal labels and directional arrows, include absorbent bedding, attach water to the outside of the door, and write your contact details directly on the crate in permanent marker. For all travel types: place a worn piece of your clothing inside.
For cabin flights, water access is advisable but must be spill-proof. Full water bowls will empty the moment the carrier is tilted. For hold travel, attach a water container to the outside of the crate door so airport staff can refill it. Do not feed a large meal within 2–4 hours of departure. For road or courier travel, offer water at every rest stop rather than leaving a bowl in the crate where it can spill and wet the bedding.
For road travel in your own car: pull over safely, assess your pet calmly, offer water, and contact your vet or an emergency vet service for guidance. For courier travel: your driver should have your vet's number and their own emergency vet protocol — confirm this before handover. For air travel: notify cabin crew immediately for in-cabin pets. For hold or cargo: contact the airline's ground team on arrival; if your pet needs emergency care, cargo teams at major airports have protocols in place.
For cabin flights, most airlines allow 2–5 pets per flight and one pet per passenger. For hold travel, limits vary by aircraft. For shared courier vans, ask the provider directly — fewer animals generally means a calmer, better-welfare journey, so this is a valid question to ask before booking. Always confirm cats and dogs are in separate compartments on shared services.
Yes. Get Pet Go is a dedicated platform where verified pet transport businesses list their services. You can search and filter by pet size, travel type (van, courier, airport transfer, ferry-adjacent), and date availability — making it straightforward to find and book providers who are right for your specific journey.
This checklist is intended as a planning guide. Requirements vary by country, airline, and transport provider — always verify current requirements with your vet, the relevant government authority, and your chosen transport provider before travel.
Last updated: April 2026