Live animals shipping terms
ROSHIPPING provides some useful information to make arrangements for dog and cat shipping by air. The requirements for other pets are different from the ones listed below.
It is very important to buy the right IATA kennel, large enough for the pet to be transported in. Airlines use the following references to make sure that the animal has enough space: it must be able to turn around, to lie down and stand up naturally in the kennel.
Please note that IATA does not approve, certify or recommend any type of kennel or crate manufacturer. Buyers need to be vigilant about fraudulent offers made out of ignorance or on purpose by sellers of such containers for live animal transportation because failure to comply with IATA requirements in the Live Animal Regulations will result in airline’s refusal to load the pet. ROSHIPPING offers you pet shipping in IATA kennel, suitable for live animal shipment.
Before sending your pet on a flight, all flight details must be clearly set so that the delivery and receipt of the animal be carried out in optimal conditions and transit airports be appropriate. Additionally, prior to the delivery of the animal to the cargo terminal, the sender must make sure that all import / export licenses, health certificate and permits have been obtained and are within the validity period.
Two copies of Shipper’s Certification for Live Animals must be filled in correctly, signed and submitted to the airline. The Air Waybill will clearly specify the number of specimens and the species of the live animal / live animals to be transported. Pets that travel with their owners in the passenger compartment do not need either Air Waybill or Shipper’s Certificate for Live Animals.
As previous stated, a special attention should be paid to choosing the proper kennel for the dog or cat that you want to ship by air. The cage to be transported must meet the minimum requirements of Container Requirement 1 (CR 1) or, if applicable, Container Requirement 82 (CR82).
It is advisable to purchase a suitable kennel before sending the pet on the travel and encourage the animal to use it and become accustomed to the cage. Taking the animal from the environment it has lived in is stressful by definition, and this recommendation helps the animal overcome the stressful experience of the flight.
It is in your pet’s best interest that all requirements of the Live Animal Regulations be complied with. Since most countries have included IATA requirements in their national legislation, failure to comply may result in fines, confiscation of the animal or suing the owner.
Preparing the animal for air transportation:
– pet’s sedation is NOT recommended
– feed the animal with a light meal and some water about two hours before shipping
– help the pet become accustomed to its kennel before transporting it, as far as possible
– walk the pet before shipping
– pug-nosed dogs, such as Mastiffs, Bulldogs, Pekingese and Pug dogs are affected more than other breeds by rarefied air, thus, the animal should not suffer from respiratory system diseases and certain airlines ban the transport of these breeds
– IATA recommends that transportation of female pets in heat is not advisable and, most likely, their access will be banned aboard the airline
– nursing females and non-weaned puppies and kittens are not accepted for air transportation
– weaned puppies and kittens younger than eight weeks should not be shipped due to possible dehydration that may occur during air shipment
– for the transport of puppies and kittens younger than 12 weeks, IATA recommends a sanitary-veterinary certificate confirming that the animal is fit for air transportation due to small age, especially for breeds more sensitive to the effects of dehydration
– generally, each animal must be shipped in its own crate; maximum 2 puppies or kittens aged up to 6 months, coming from the same family, may be transported in the same cage
– a stuffed toy familiar to the puppy/kitten/pet can be placed into the cage to keep it company during shipping
– females with gestational age of 42 days for dogs and 43 days for cats, as well as females that had puppies/kittens in the week prior to shipping, are not deemed as fit for air transport
All guidelines and recommendations above are excerpts from the IATA requirements set out in the Live Animal Regulations.
Each airline sets additional rules beside those recommended by IATA. Therefore, to make sure that your pet can be transported to Canada, please fill in the form on the pet relocation page.