Requirements to Ship
- Animals must be at least 8 weeks of age.
- Shipping kennel or cage must meet standards for size, ventilation, strength and design.
- Animals must have enough room to stand up and turn around. Kennels must be equipped with one food and water cup. Kennels must be marked with shipper's name, address and phone number and pick-up person's name, address and phone number (if different from shipper), Live Animal Stickers should be applied to the kennel and the last time fed and watered indicated. Place newspaper or absorbent material on the bottom of the crate.
- Animal may not be exposed to temperatures of less than 45 degrees Fahrenheit unless there is an acclimation statement by a Veterinarian.
- Health Certificate must be issued by a licensed Veterinarian and be no more than 10 days old.
- Animals may not be brought to the airline more than 4 hours before a flight.
- Animals less than 16 weeks of age must be offered food and water if transit is more than 12 hours. Older animals must have food at least every 24 hours and water at least every 12 hours.
- Animals over 16 weeks must have rabies shots current.
Things to Consider
- If shipping international (including Hawaii) check the quarantine laws.
- Do not give your pet solid food in the six hours before the flight.
- Do not give your pet sedation without your veterinarian’s approval.
- Try to schedule a non-stop flight and avoid heavy travel times.
Airlines that Ship Pets
-
Alaskan Airlines
Cargo Customer Service Center: 1-800-225-2752 - Air Canada
- American Airlines
- Continental Airlines
-
Delta Pet First
Air Logistics professional at 800-DL-CARGO (800-352-2746). -
Northwest Airlines
1-800-NWCARGO (1-800-692-2746) -
United Airlines
United Cargo at 800-UA-CARGO
Organizations that Ship Pets
Importing and Exporting Live Animals