Travelling with assistance dogs
Assistance dogs entering the UK under the Pet Travel Scheme must meet all of the rules of the Scheme (failure to do so may result either it not being permitted to enter the UK or for it to go into quarantine until it does meet the rules) See:
Approved routes and transport companies for assistance dogs
Assistance dog owners can use any air, sea or rail route approved by the Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) to bring their assistance dog into Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme (but see below). On approved air routes, assistance dogs can travel with their owners in the passenger cabin.
Transport of assistance dogs by European Community air carriers
EU Regulation 1107/2006 (concerning the rights of disabled persons and persons with reduced mobility when travelling by air) requires Community air carriers to transport recognised assistance dogs in the cabin of aircraft and places obligations on airport managing bodies to provide services for handling those dogs at airports.
Those air carriers bringing assistance dogs into Great Britain do not need to be approved by AHVLA but are will need to be registered and have an agreed Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with AHVLA. The airport managing body is responsible for carrying out PETS checks on those dogs when they arrive and airports must have checking facilities in place to do so.
Guidance notes for Community air carriers and airports under this section can be obtained on the AHVLA website.
There are a number of transport companies that will only carry assistance dogs into Great Britain under the Pet Travel Scheme. See below.
- Routes by sea and rail (PDF 50 KB)
- Assistance air routes (PDF 20 KB)
Routes may change and new ones may be added. Some routes are seasonal or irregular so check availability and all your other proposed travel arrangements with the transport company before booking your journey to the UK. Check the costs, requirements and procedures. Companies may have their own additional conditions of travel.
Attachments
- Pets - Registered Community air carriers and approved airports (pdf, 39 KB)
- Pets - assistance routes by sea or rail (pdf, 23 KB)
- Pets - Assistance Air routes (pdf, 463 KB)