First class pet travel since 1966
Pet Travel FAQs
Direct answers to the most common questions about flying, importing, and moving pets internationally.
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Yes — even with self-clearance there are still landing fees and handling charges payable to the airline and ground handler, typically around £200 (US dollar equivalent depending on the airport). Self-clearance saves you the broker’s fee but does not avoid the airport’s standard charges for receiving and processing a live-animal shipment.
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Customs clearance for pets entering the USA usually takes around 2 to 3 hours, depending on the port of entry, the time of day, and the volume of cargo being processed. Major hubs like JFK, LAX, and Chicago O’Hare are typically quickest. Clearance can take considerably longer if you choose to clear your pet yourself without prior experience of the process, which is why we recommend using a customs broker.
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It depends on the port of entry. US airports are designated either as “formal” or “informal” ports of entry, and most airlines specify that at formal ports owners cannot self-clear and must use a registered broker. At informal ports, owner self-clearance is permitted, but Airpets strongly recommends using a broker regardless — customs procedures vary significantly between airports, and a missed step can lead to lengthy delays. Self-clearance is only sensible if you’re already familiar with both the process and the specific airport.
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To enter the USA, dogs must be at least 6 months old (a CDC rule introduced in 2024), microchipped with an ISO 11784/11785-compatible 15-digit chip, and vaccinated against rabies at least 21 days before arrival. They also need a “Fit to Fly” certificate completed by a vet following a physical examination, and the CDC Dog Import Form must be submitted online before arrival. Some entry routes and ports also require additional rabies titer testing — your Airpets consultant will confirm the exact paperwork for your destination port.
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Usually no — pets at the Mickleham facility are housed separately so staff can monitor each animal individually for eating, toileting, and signs of disease. Some dogs from the same family may be walked together, and in some cases approval is granted later in the stay for them to share an enclosure, but joint housing is not guaranteed.
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What happens depends on how serious the condition is. For emergencies, the Mickleham quarantine facility has an arrangement with an off-site veterinary clinic where urgent treatment can be carried out. For less urgent issues, quarantine staff will recommend mobile vets you can contact to visit and assess your pet at the facility, or you can choose your own — we can also provide this information ahead of your pet’s arrival.
Any veterinary costs are the owner’s responsibility, and quarantine will also charge a fee for supervising the vet’s visit at their facility. Quarantine staff will contact you directly in either situation, which is why it’s so important that we hold your correct contact details.
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Any medication your pet needs during quarantine must arrive at the facility clearly labelled, with a written veterinary declaration, and matching the medication information provided before travel. Your Airpets export consultant prepares the medication documentation as part of your pre-departure paperwork, so there are no issues at the facility. Bear in mind that any medication sent with your pet will not be released from quarantine, so we typically send only enough to cover their quarantine stay.
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A standard arrival notification is sent when your pet checks in to the Mickleham facility. After that, general updates and photos are not routinely provided. Photos are only sent in specific situations — for example, if there’s a skin concern or injury that needs to be flagged to you as the owner.
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No — visits are not permitted at the Mickleham PEQ facility under any circumstances. The no-visit rule protects Australia’s biosecurity controls by preventing the introduction of pathogens from outside. The same rule applies to pets from every origin country, not just the UK.
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The Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility is located at Mickleham, near Melbourne Airport, in Victoria. All pets entering Australia from any overseas origin must clear quarantine there, regardless of their final destination within Australia. Onward domestic travel within Australia is arranged after release.
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Quarantine in Australia lasts between 10 and 30 days. Your pet will qualify for the minimum 10-day stay if you complete the OV66 identity verification steps before the rabies blood test, or if your pet originally came from Australia. Missing or incorrect documentation can extend the stay, which is why Airpets manages the full export pre-clearance process meticulously before your pet leaves the UK.
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Yes — all cats and dogs arriving in Australia from the UK must complete a mandatory quarantine period at the Australian government’s Post Entry Quarantine (PEQ) facility on arrival. This is a strict biosecurity requirement enforced by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.
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Yes — extreme heat or cold can lead to airline embargoes that restrict or delay live-animal travel, particularly for short-nosed breeds. In summer, many airlines apply hot-weather embargoes between June and September on certain routes. In winter, cold-weather embargoes can apply on Northern European, Canadian, and Russian routes. Airpets factors seasonal embargoes into your booking and adjusts the routing or timing if needed.
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Short-nosed (brachycephalic) breeds such as pugs, French bulldogs, English bulldogs, boxers, Persians, and Himalayans are restricted by many airlines because their shortened airways make them more vulnerable to breathing difficulties under heat and stress. Some airlines refuse them entirely; others impose seasonal embargoes, larger crate sizes, or specific routing rules. Your Airpets consultant will tell you immediately whether your breed has restrictions on your route.
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Several factors can affect whether and how your pet can fly: their size and weight, breed (particularly short-nosed/brachycephalic breeds), age, health, and the time of year. Hot weather embargoes are common in summer for certain breeds and destinations, and some airlines have additional restrictions for specific aircraft types. Airpets reviews all these factors when preparing your quote and proposes the routing that’s safest for your pet.
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No — Airpets does not provide pet travel insurance. In practice, cover for pets while they are travelling in the aircraft hold is very limited and, as far as we are aware, not currently offered by UK pet insurers — so it is worth checking carefully with your own provider about exactly what is and isn’t covered during transit and any quarantine stay. Any veterinary costs incurred during the booking, boarding, or transit period are the owner’s responsibility.
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Yes — Airpets has five secure outdoor paddocks with grass surfaces where dogs are walked individually or in their family groups two to three times a day. Cats are stimulated indoors through our enrichment programme rather than outdoor access.
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Yes — up to three dogs from the same household can share a single kennel at the Heathrow Animal Lounge, provided they normally live together and there are no concerns about food guarding or compatibility. Cats and dogs are always housed in separate areas of the facility.
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Yes — specialist travel veterinary care is provided on site by Travelvet, our partner clinic, which operates a surgery within the Airpets facility. Pets staying with us have access to vet attention if required, and Travelvet also handles pre-flight health certifications, microchipping, and rabies titer testing.
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Yes — every dog kennel and cat unit at the Heathrow Animal Lounge has heating and cooling to maintain a stable ambient temperature year round, regardless of outside weather. Each enclosure also has separate sleeping and exercise areas.
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The Airpets Heathrow Animal Lounge is a fully licensed, 5-star rated boarding facility located on the Heathrow perimeter road. It includes 40+ temperature-controlled dog kennels, 30+ “penthouse” cat units, five outdoor exercise paddocks, and on-site veterinary support via Travelvet. Pets in our care are walked two to three times a day, fed their usual diet wherever possible, and looked after by a dedicated animal welfare team 365 days a year. Airpets’ Animal Activity Licence number is 012888/01, issued by the London Borough of Hillingdon.
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Mild lethargy, soft stools, or reduced appetite in the first 24 to 48 hours after a long flight is normal and usually resolves on its own. Contact your vet if any of these symptoms persist beyond three days, if your pet refuses food entirely for more than 72 hours, or if you see vomiting, bleeding, breathing difficulty, or any change you wouldn’t expect.
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Yes — like humans, pets crossing multiple time zones can be sleepy at unusual times, eat at odd hours, or be more lethargic for a few days. Most pets readjust within three to five days. Keep meals and walks on the new time zone from day one to help reset their body clock.
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Some pets will have soiled the crate during travel, may smell of urine, or may be mildly nauseous. Bring a towel or blanket, a bottle of water, and wet wipes to the collection point — and don’t dress in clothes you mind getting dirty. Most pets settle within a few hours of being reunited with you.
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Most pets arrive happy and curious — sometimes a little sleepy from a long journey, but generally well. The combination of a properly sized IATA crate, controlled cargo conditions, and short waits before and after the flight means the experience is far less stressful than people often imagine.
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If pre-flight checks identify a problem with the temperature or pressure system in the live-animal section of the cargo hold, the airline will not load your pet until the issue is resolved or the flight is reassigned to a serviceable aircraft. Pet welfare takes priority over schedule.
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No — there is no access to the cargo hold from the cabin during the flight, so pets cannot be physically checked mid-air. However, the hold is fitted with the same monitoring systems as the passenger cabin: temperature, pressure, and smoke detection are all visible to the flight crew on the flight deck. If a sensor flags an issue, the crew is alerted immediately.
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On long-haul commercial flights, live animals travel as cargo for safety, regulatory compliance, and comfort. The cargo hold is specifically designed and certified for live-animal transport, with controlled temperature and pressure, and the IATA-compliant crate offers more space and security than a soft cabin carrier. Whether a pet can instead travel in the cabin depends on the individual airline’s regulations rather than the length of the flight, and is usually limited to very small pets — your Airpets consultant will advise if a cabin option exists for your route.
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Pets travel in a dedicated live-animal section of the aircraft’s cargo hold, located below the passenger cabin. The hold is temperature- and pressure-controlled (typically maintained at 18–21 °C), with the same air supply as the cabin above. It’s slightly darker and a little noisier than the passenger cabin, but the environment is otherwise comparable.
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Airpets handles your pet at our Heathrow Animal Lounge in the hours before check-in. We then transfer them to the airline’s cargo facility, where the airline’s ground handling team takes over until loading. After arrival, the destination’s local handling agent receives the pet and oversees customs clearance, before Airpets or your nominated agent collects them for the final leg home.
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After check-in, your pet is cared for by the airline’s dedicated ground handling team in a specialised animal facility within the cargo terminal. They’re monitored, kept in a temperature-controlled environment, and given water until it’s time to be transferred to the aircraft. Pets are loaded last and offloaded first to minimise time spent in the crate.
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Pets are checked in 4 to 5 hours before departure, which is the airline-mandated cargo cut-off for live animals. Airpets brings your pet from our Heathrow Animal Lounge to the airline cargo facility at the right moment, completes the paperwork, and hands them over to the airline’s ground handling team. Pets are then transferred to the aircraft around 1.5 hours before departure.
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A mild reduction in appetite in the day or two before travel is normal and rarely a cause for concern, particularly in pets that pick up on changes in household routine. Keep fresh water available and offer their usual food. If your pet refuses food entirely for more than 72 hours, contact your vet before travel day.
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Some pets pick up on travel preparations and may become more sensitive, hide more, or follow you around more closely than usual. This is normal. Keep their routine as predictable as possible — same meal times, same walks, same sleep spots — and resist the urge to over-comfort, which can amplify their anxiety. Keep pets indoors in the 24 hours before travel to avoid the small risk of an escape on the day.
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Place a blanket your pet has slept on inside the crate so their own scent is on it, and add a worn item of your clothing for your scent. Airpets transfers the same blanket into the airline crate on travel day so the smell carries through. Familiar bedding is consistently the most effective comfort item — more so than toys or treats, which aren’t permitted in the crate anyway.
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Start crate training several weeks before travel — ideally four to six weeks for a pet who has never used a crate before. Forced or rushed crate introduction does more harm than good, so the earlier you begin the better. If your pet is already crate-trained for daily life, a refresher of a week or two using the actual travel crate is usually enough.
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Crate training is the single most useful thing you can do in the weeks before travel. A pet who feels safe in an enclosed space will travel far more calmly. Start by leaving any crate open in a familiar room with a blanket carrying your scent inside, encouraging your pet to enter on their own without force. Feed them near the crate, then in it, and gradually build up to closing the door for short periods. Airpets can deliver your pet’s travel crate to you ahead of departure (for a fee) so they associate it with home, not the airport.
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If your pet appears sedated when you arrive at the Airpets Heathrow Animal Lounge, we will refuse to accept them for travel — both for their safety and because the airline will reject them at check-in. We’ll work with you to identify whether the cause is medication, illness, or extreme exhaustion, and reschedule the flight once they’re clinically fit to travel.
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For most anxious pets, the best preparation is gradual crate familiarisation in the weeks before travel and including a scented blanket or piece of your clothing in the crate. For pets with more severe anxiety, a vet can prescribe a non-sedative anxiolytic such as Gabapentin, which calms without affecting breathing or temperature regulation. Any medication must be trialled at home before travel day to make sure your pet doesn’t have an adverse reaction. Airpets’ on-site veterinary team via Travelvet can advise on what’s appropriate for your pet.
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No — sedation is strictly prohibited for live animals on commercial flights. At altitude, the change in pressure and temperature means a sedated pet’s body cannot regulate effectively, which can be fatal. If your pet shows signs of sedation at check-in, Airpets has the right to refuse the booking on welfare grounds. This is an industry-wide rule set by IATA and enforced by every airline.
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Once your pet is home and settled, offer small amounts of water first, then a light portion of their usual food a few hours later. Travel can cause mild dehydration and a temporary loss of appetite, so don’t worry if they don’t finish their first meal. Avoid treats or new foods for the first 24 hours so any digestive sensitivity can settle.
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Yes — very young animals (kittens and puppies under six months) and toy breeds may need to eat closer to departure to avoid low blood sugar. Airpets will agree the right feeding schedule for these pets individually based on their age, weight, and the length of the journey.
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No — keep your pet on their usual diet in the weeks leading up to travel. Sudden food changes can cause stomach upset, which is the last thing you want immediately before a long flight. If you’re concerned the destination doesn’t stock your pet’s regular brand, transition them gradually after arrival once they’ve settled in, not before.
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Feed your pet their final meal around 6 hours before departure. This timing lets the food digest and reduces the chance of sickness or toileting accidents during the flight. For early-morning departures, feed them as normal the evening before and skip the morning meal. Water should still be available up to drop-off — Airpets refills the crate’s water bowl just before check-in.
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Most of these items aren’t just discouraged — they’re not allowed. Nothing in the list below can go inside the crate, and most cannot be attached to the outside either:
- Toys, treats, and food (other than approved dry food secured to the crate)
- Thick beds, plastic items, and tennis balls
- AirTags and GPS trackers — these are removed and disposed of at check-in
- Anything valuable, sentimental, or irreplaceable
A collar and lead can travel attached to the outside of the crate, and a single small toy is usually fine, but there is rarely space to secure anything else safely. The simplest approach: send only your pet, with one blanket and one scented item inside the crate, and keep everything else for the journey at the other end.
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No — AirTags and similar GPS trackers contain lithium batteries, which are classified as dangerous goods under aviation regulations and cannot accompany live animal shipments. If a tracker is found attached to the crate at check-in, it will be removed and either disposed of or held for return at the owner’s expense. Airpets keeps you updated on your pet’s journey directly through our consultant team, so you’ll know where they are at every stage.
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Yes — prescribed medication can travel with your pet, but it must be securely sealed and clearly labelled with the pet’s name, dosage, administration instructions, and the prescribing vet’s details. The medication must also be accompanied by a written veterinary declaration that matches the information provided to Airpets in advance. Speak to your Airpets consultant before drop-off so we can include the medication in your pet’s travel paperwork and confirm any country-specific rules for importing medicines alongside live animals.
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Yes, but only dry food is permitted. Airpets can secure a portion or two of dry food to the outside of the crate so it’s available for feeding on arrival or in the event of a delay. Wet food, raw food, and homemade meals are not allowed during transit because of spillage and hygiene regulations. If your pet needs to eat their usual brand, send a sealed bag with your name and your pet’s name clearly labelled.
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Some pets — particularly small or short-coated breeds — are permitted to wear a coat or jumper during travel, but only with explicit airline approval and only if the garment is loose-fitting, free of toggles or zips, and cannot bunch up around the neck or limbs. Speak to your Airpets consultant before assuming clothing will be allowed on your route.
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No — collars, harnesses, and leads must be removed before your pet enters the crate, because anything around the neck or body is a strangulation and snagging hazard during travel. Airpets attaches collars and leads to the outside of the crate so they travel with your pet and are ready for you on the other side.
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Only soft, non-chewable items are allowed inside the crate: a blanket, an absorbent puppy pad, and a piece of unwashed clothing carrying your scent. Familiar smells help your pet feel settled during travel. Toys, treats, thick beds, plastic items, tennis balls, and anything chewable are not permitted, as they can present choking hazards or block ventilation. Airpets prepares each crate with the approved items before your pet’s flight.
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Yes — short-nosed breeds such as pugs, bulldogs, Persians, and similar brachycephalic dogs and cats need one crate size larger than the standard calculation suggests. The extra space supports better airflow around their face and reduces breathing stress during travel. Some airlines have additional restrictions or temperature embargoes for these breeds, so your Airpets consultant will advise on routing, season, and crate sizing together.
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If a crate doesn’t meet IATA Live Animal Regulations, the airline will refuse to load your pet, which means delays, missed flights, and additional handling fees. The most common reasons for non-compliance are incorrect sizing, oversized mesh gauging, plastic clips instead of metal bolts, or vents only on two sides. Airpets sources crates that meet airline acceptance standards every time, removing the risk of refusal on the day.
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For dogs, the mesh gauge on the crate door and ventilation panels must be no larger than 25 mm × 25 mm. For cats, the maximum is 19 mm × 19 mm. Anything wider risks paws or noses pushing through, which can cause injury and will lead to airline refusal at check-in. Airpets supplies crates with compliant mesh as standard.
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Pet travel crates must comply with the IATA Live Animal Regulations Container Requirement 1 (CR1), which specifies material, construction, ventilation, and door fixings. The crate must be made of rigid plastic, metal, or wood — no wire crates or wheels. Most crates use plastic clips to join the two halves, which is fine, but they must also be secured with metal bolts for extra security. Ventilation openings are required on all four sides, with side and back vents positioned on the upper half of the crate only. Doors must close and lock securely with metal fixings.
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Airpets needs four measurements of your pet, taken while they’re standing on a flat surface:
- A — length from the tip of the nose to the base of the tail
- B — height from the ground to the elbow joint
- C — width across the shoulders at the widest point
- D — height from the ground to the top of the head (or the tip of the ear for erect-eared breeds)
The minimum airline-compliant crate dimensions are then calculated as:
- Length = A + ½ B
- Width = C × 2
- Height = D + 10 cm
Send these four measurements to your Airpets consultant and we’ll source a crate that meets IATA standards for your pet.
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The crate must meet IATA Live Animal Regulations (LAR), and incorrect sizing is the most common reason airlines refuse a pet at check-in. An undersized crate is a welfare risk; an oversized one can cause your pet to slide during turbulence. Correct sizing also avoids costly last-minute delays and replacement crate fees at the airport. Airpets uses the measurements you provide to supply a crate that lets your pet stand naturally, turn around comfortably, and lie down without restriction — the three IATA welfare requirements.
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Each crate must display your name, contact details, the destination address, and “Live Animal” labels with directional “This Way Up” arrows, as required by IATA Live Animal Regulations. Airpets prepares and attaches the correct labelling for your pet’s crate before check-in, so there’s nothing for you to do on the day.
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Import permits are issued by the destination country’s agricultural or veterinary authority — for example, the Department of Agriculture for Australia, or the relevant ministry for other regulated destinations. Whether Airpets handles the permit for you depends on the service you’ve chosen. Where you’ve asked us to manage it, we’ll usually instruct a local agent on arrival to handle clearance and the import permit application; for Australia (and New Zealand on request) our team applies for the permit directly. Some permits take days, others several weeks, so we factor processing time into your travel timeline.
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The Rabies Titer Test, also called the FAVN test, is a blood test that confirms your pet has an adequate immune response to the rabies vaccine. Many rabies-controlled destinations — including Australia, Hawaii, and several Asian countries — require this test before they’ll permit entry. Blood is taken at least 30 days after rabies vaccination, then sent to an approved laboratory, and most destinations require a waiting period (often three to six months) between a successful test result and travel.
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Cats travelling internationally typically need rabies, FVRCP (feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, panleukopenia), and feline leukemia vaccinations. As with dogs, rabies vaccination must be administered at least 21 days before travel for most destinations. Country-specific requirements vary, so your Airpets consultant confirms exactly which vaccinations and blood tests your cat needs based on where you’re moving to.
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Dogs travelling internationally typically need rabies, DHPP (distemper, hepatitis, parainfluenza, parvovirus), leptospirosis, bordetella (kennel cough), and canine influenza vaccinations. Rabies must usually be administered at least 21 days before travel, and some destinations also require a Rabies Titer (FAVN) blood test taken after vaccination. Airpets provides a destination-specific vaccination schedule with your quote so you know exactly what your dog needs and when.
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Pets travelling internationally need a 15-digit ISO 11784/11785-compatible microchip, which is the global standard read by veterinary and customs scanners. If your pet has an older or non-ISO microchip, your vet may need to implant a compliant one before vaccinations and blood tests are carried out, as health certificates are tied to the microchip number on the day of testing.
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Originals are required because customs and veterinary authorities — at both export and import — verify physical stamps, signatures, and security features that copies do not show. Some destinations accept certified copies in specific circumstances, but most do not, so Airpets always asks for originals unless your destination’s regulations explicitly allow otherwise.
There’s usually no need to post anything to us — we collect the original documents along with your pet, or you can hand them over at drop-off. The only time posting is necessary is if you’ve already taken the originals abroad ahead of your pet.
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Airpets needs the original copies of your pet’s travel documents at handover for both export and import regulatory checks. These typically include the animal health certificate, the rabies vaccination certificate or vaccine card, microchip records, blood test results (such as the FAVN Rabies Titer Test where required), and any country-specific permits or declarations. Note that pet passports are no longer issued — they have been replaced by a vaccine card or vaccination certificate. Your export consultant provides a full document checklist tailored to your destination, so you’ll know exactly what to gather and when.
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No — once a pet has been checked in for export, they are bonded under customs control and cannot be collected from the Border Control Post. Customs bonding means the pet has officially left UK territory in regulatory terms, so they remain in the Border Control Post’s care until they’re cleared for the next flight. Airpets liaises with the Border Control Post and the airline throughout to get your pet on their way as quickly as possible.
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If the flight is cancelled before check-in, Airpets rebooks your pet on the next available flight that suits the route and welfare requirements, and we update you immediately. If the cancellation happens after your pet has already been checked in at Heathrow, the airline transfers them to the Border Control Post, where they’re cared for until they can be re-booked. A small number of airlines use a different facility — such as Animal Aircare — but in every case your pet is looked after in a dedicated animal-handling centre until their new flight.
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If the flight is delayed, Airpets keeps your pet at our Heathrow Animal Lounge — not at the airport — until it’s safe and appropriate to transfer them for check-in. Pets are never taken to the airport early to sit in a holding area. Our team monitors the airline’s status updates in real time, and your export consultant will keep you informed throughout. If the delay is significant enough to affect the journey, we’ll work with the airline to find the next suitable option.
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Yes, a nominated person can collect your pet on arrival as long as Airpets has their details in advance. This is useful if you’re delayed reaching the destination, or if your pet is flying ahead while you finalise your move. We’ll pass the nominee’s information to the destination handling agent so the handover is straightforward, and the nominee will need to bring identification.
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In most cases, yes — your pet can travel on the same flight as you, but you don’t have to. Pets travel in the temperature- and pressure-controlled cargo hold of commercial passenger aircraft, so once your pet’s flight is confirmed by the airline, you can book yourself a seat on that same service. Let your Airpets export consultant know so we can advise. For multi-leg journeys, however, your pet may need different connection times to allow appropriate rest breaks, so the routings may not match.
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Book your pet’s travel first, before you book your own flight. Pet cargo bookings are limited per aircraft and depend on factors such as crate size, weather, and breed restrictions, so confirming your pet’s flight first ensures the dates work. Where possible, Airpets recommends owners travel a day or two ahead of their pet so you’re at the destination to receive them; this also means you’re not relying on a connecting flight that could be missed if your own travel is disrupted.
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Airline cargo bookings for pets typically open between 14 and 30 days before departure, depending on the airline, route, and destination. Some airlines — usually Emirates and Qatar Airways — allow booking up to two or three months ahead. Airpets monitors the booking window for your specific route and reserves space the moment it becomes available, then sends you the confirmed itinerary. Because cargo space for live animals is limited and seasonal demand varies, we recommend starting the booking process — quote, documents, vaccinations — several weeks ahead of your preferred travel date, even though the flight itself can often only be confirmed closer to the time.
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Once you accept your Airpets quote, we send you a link to our online booking form, which captures your contact details along with everything our animal welfare team needs to know about your pet — temperament, dietary needs, medical conditions, and any quirks. We then request the documents we’ll need to confirm what has to happen before travel, such as any outstanding vaccinations, so your pet’s relocation runs as smoothly as possible. When the flight date falls inside the airline’s booking window, we secure the flight and send you a full itinerary confirming every leg of the journey. Your pet travel consultant is your single point of contact throughout, so you can reach out at any stage.
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Yes — pet rabbits arriving in the UK from overseas are subject to a mandatory quarantine period, because rabbits carry a unique disease profile that UK biosecurity controls are designed to protect against. Airpets holds a UK quarantine licence specifically for rabbits, which means we can legally receive, house, and care for incoming pet rabbits at our Heathrow Animal Lounge for the duration of their quarantine stay. Your Airpets consultant will confirm the current quarantine period and entry conditions when you request a quote.
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Yes — Airpets transports pet rabbits for both export from and import to the UK. Rabbits have a different disease profile from cats and dogs and are subject to specific UK quarantine requirements on arrival, which Airpets is licensed to fulfil at our Heathrow facility. As with cats and dogs, rabbits travel in IATA-compliant crates appropriate to their size, and our welfare team is experienced in handling small mammals throughout the booking, boarding, and transit process.
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Yes — for pets arriving into the UK. Airpets is a registered UK customs agent and holds customs badges at Heathrow, Gatwick, and Manchester airports, so we liaise directly with UK Border Force and the Animal and Plant Health Agency (APHA) to handle customs clearance, charges, and the release of your pet on arrival.
For pets arriving in other countries we don’t carry out customs clearance ourselves, but we have a network of trusted partner agents and will instruct a local clearing agent on your behalf wherever one is needed.
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Yes — Airpets offers door-to-door pet transport across mainland UK. We can collect your pet from anywhere on the British mainland before an export, and deliver to your UK address after an import. Our drivers are experienced animal handlers with climate-controlled vehicles inspected daily for compliance, and most are pet owners themselves. The driver is briefed on your pet’s information and travel checklist before pickup, so the handover at either end is calm and straightforward.
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The cost of pet relocation with Airpets depends on the destination, your pet’s size and weight, breed (some short-nosed breeds have route restrictions), the airline used, the time of year, and which services you need — boarding, home collection, customs clearance, vet treatment, and import permits all factor into the final price. Because every move is different, we provide a tailored quote rather than a fixed price list. For an indicative figure, use our cost estimator; for a precise written quote, contact our team and a consultant will respond with a full breakdown.
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Yes — Airpets is an IATA (International Air Transport Association) accredited cargo agent, which means we book directly with airlines without going through intermediaries. IATA accreditation is the international standard for agents handling live-animal air cargo and allows us to make fast, flexible flight bookings, respond quickly to schedule changes, and access airline routes that non-accredited movers cannot. Airpets has been IATA accredited since the 1980s and is also a member of IPATA (the International Pet and Animal Transportation Association).
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Airpets can ship pets to over 100 destinations worldwide, including frequent routes to Australia, New Zealand, the USA, Canada, the UAE, Singapore, Hong Kong, and across Europe. Each destination has its own import requirements — quarantine, blood tests, permits, specific vaccinations — and our pet travel consultants specialise by region, so you get up-to-date advice on whichever country you’re moving to. Tell us your destination when you request a quote and we’ll confirm the routing options and the full export process for that country.
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Airpets serves three UK airports: London Heathrow (LHR), London Gatwick (LGW), and Manchester (MAN). Our base is at the Heathrow Animal Lounge on Spout Lane North, Middlesex — directly on the Heathrow perimeter road — which means the shortest possible transit time between our boarding facility and the aircraft. We hold customs badges at all three airports, allowing us to liaise directly with UK Border Force and the relevant veterinary authorities on your behalf for both imports and exports.
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Airpets has been transporting pets internationally since 1966 — nearly 60 years, making us one of the longest-established pet relocation companies in the UK. Airpets was founded by John Woodward, a Heathrow-area farmer who began with a small set of boarding kennels, and the business grew into a full international pet travel service after the UK introduced the Rabies Act 1974 and demand for quarantine and animal handling near the airport increased. Today the company is run by third-generation family members, Directors Jack and Hugo, alongside Sophie, who leads on Australia routes and animal welfare. We remain a family-run business with the same hands-on focus on animal care the company started with.
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