About your pet
Moving or travelling with your pet?
Pawperwork builds your whole plan: the vet visits and vaccine timing, which airlines can take your pet, and a check of your certificates before you fly.
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How do I measure my dog or cat for a travel crate?
Measure your pet standing: A from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail, B from the floor to the elbow, C across the widest part of the shoulders, and D from the floor to the top of the head or ear tips. IATA's guidance gives the minimum inside size as length A + half of B, width 2 × C, and height D plus room for bedding. Snub-nosed breeds need 10% more.
Is my crate IATA approved?
No crate is IATA approved: IATA writes the rules for crates (Container Requirement 1 of its Live Animals Regulations) but doesn't approve brands or models. A label saying "IATA approved" is marketing. Check the crate itself: rigid sides, a metal door and pins, metal bolts holding the top and bottom together, ventilation on all four sides, a fixed water dish you can fill from outside, and no wheels.
Why do airlines refuse crates at check-in?
The most common reasons are a crate that's too small inside, plastic clips instead of metal bolts, a missing water dish, wheels still attached, and a soft or folding crate. Airlines can add their own rules, so ask yours for its crate requirements in writing when you book.
Can my dog fly in the cabin instead?
Usually only if your pet and its soft carrier weigh about 8 kg or less and fit under the seat. Pets can't fly in the cabin into the UK. Bigger dogs travel in the hold or as cargo, in a rigid crate.
What if my dog and crate are too heavy for the airline?
Hold limits are often 32 kg for pet and crate together, sometimes 45 or 50 kg. Over the limit, your dog usually needs to fly as cargo, often booked through a pet shipper. Weigh your dog in the crate at home, well before you book.