Pet expert shares top travel tips for taking your four-legged friend on a flight

By William On Jul 23, 2023

As the digital nomad lifestyle gains popularity among young professionals, pet parents share tips for traveling abroad with your furry friends.

Flying abroad with a dog — especially a big one — can be stressful, but travel influencer Jackie Gendron says it’s “worth not leaving them behind.”

Jackie, whose TikTok account @jgendron10 has amassed more than 87,500 followers, recently took her 63-pound Labrador Puck on a trip to Europe.

Jackie acknowledges that it seems “daunting” to take a pet abroad and says that with the right travel preparations, your dog can be a “travel professional.”

She explains how to get the necessary documentation from your vet, how to book your dog’s transportation, and what steps you can take to reduce their stress levels during the flight.

Jackie, whose TikTok account @jgendron10 has amassed more than 87,500 followers, recently took her 63-pound Labrador Puck (pictured) on a trip to Europe

In a video posted earlier this month, Jackie broke down the dog flying process into four easy steps — all of which take place before you even get to the airport. She explained that in order to take a dog abroad, travelers would need an international health certificate issued by their veterinarian

She explained that pets must fly in an airline-approved crate, adding that she could buy the one they use for Puck on Amazon. In the picture: Jackie’s traveling companion with their luggage. Puck’s box is on the trolley on the right

In a video posted earlier this month, Jackie broke down the dog flying process into four easy steps — all of which take place before you even get to the airport.

“First you need to find a vet who can give you an international health certificate,” she explained, pointing out that not every vet offers this service.

But if your vet can’t help you with the certificate, don’t worry, Jackie says they can refer you to a vet who will.

“Second, you need to book your flight,” she said. “They can’t make your appointment with your health certificate until they have your exact departure date because the appointment has to be within 10 days of that date.”

“Third, if your dog is flying in cargo, call the airline and add them to the cargo hold.”

Some airlines use third-party companies to transport pets, but Jackie says most airlines allow you to add a pet to your reservation if an oversized bag does.

She explained that pets must fly in an airline-approved crate, adding that she could buy the one they use for Puck on Amazon.

She concluded, “Fourth, you go to the vet appointment, get their bill of health, and that’s that.”

Jackie warned that travelers should book their flights before attempting a health certificate appointment with their vet. She told her followers: “They can’t make an appointment for your health clearance until they have your exact date of departure because the appointment has to be within 10 days of that date.” In the photo: Puck at the vet

TikTokers previously criticized the way pets are transported on airplanes after footage went viral in 2021 of an attendant carrying a dog in a crate on one side of the cargo hold under the commercial plane, with the suitcases on the other side. An excerpt from the video is shown above

Several of Jackie’s followers expressed concern about placing their pet in a cargo hold of the plane.

“I just couldn’t put my lab under the plane,” one user commented.

But Jackie assured her follower that while it “sucks,” Puck “has done really well” on the flights.

“The flight is at night when he usually sleeps, and his crate is fairly roomy, all things considered, so he’s done really well,” she said, adding that her vet has also prescribed Puck a medication to help with anxiety.

TikTokers previously criticized the way pets are transported on planes after a video of an attendant carrying a dog in a crate on one side of the cargo hold under the commercial jet, with the suitcases on the other side, went viral.

In the footage, taken two years ago at Canada’s Vancouver International Airport, the dog crate was sheltered behind a fabric divider screen and secured with straps to the side of the hold.

The clip, which garnered millions of views, was labeled “terrifying” by some viewers.

Is it safe for dogs to fly in cargo?

According to the RSPCA, “Long journeys including the flight, transportation to and from the aircraft and waiting times in the hold of an aircraft can be very stressful and distressing for pets.”

“While the hold is usually ventilated and temperature-controlled, that may not be the case when the plane is grounded.

“There may be delays in flight times and regulations may not allow the hold to be opened on the tarmac, even in high temperatures. You have to take all this into account when deciding whether to choose this mode of transport.’

The charity advises people to contact the airline prior to arranging travel to find out what its ‘pet travel’ policy is.

“By law, the Live Animals Regulations of the International Air Transport Association must be met in order to transport animals by air,” it adds.

‘They specify standards such as the design, ventilation and size of containers for transporting dogs and cats, as well as arrangements for providing food and water. They also state that certain animals are not allowed to travel by plane.’