Pet Travel and the Pandemic

Travelling can be a daunting task for many, from scheduling and booking your flight to packaging your essentials, ensuring that you are well equipped for the trip. And, it can become even more challenging when you have a furry friend. You cannot leave them with your neighbours, nor can you leave them on their own. Can you take them with you?

Yes, you can! Several airlines allow domestic pets like dogs, cats and birds in the cabin or the cargo holding them at your own risk and subject to the requirements of the carrier. Yet, there are a set of rules you must follow before carrying your pet in.

However, due to the COVID-19, life in pandemic has become quite restricted, and that includes the travel industry. As a result of all this, airlines are experiencing a shift in the level of service they can provide. The travelling industry can be seen with new requirements, physical distancing efforts and other protocols implemented to keep the safety of the passengers checked.

Nowadays, you are well aware of how different it feels to book and board an aeroplane. But what about your pets? Relocation of your pet has become chaotic and confusing for owners and even more so for them. Therefore, to ensure your pets have a safe and comfortable relocation experience, there are certain things that you need to do before moving them. Depending upon how prepared you are, you could have a great trip or a disastrous nightmare.

In India, flights like Air India, Spice Jet, Jet Airways and Vistara allow pets on board, whereas IndiGo and Air Costa provide animal services required only for people with disabilities. And, while some policies and regulations vary across these, most of the rules are common to all, for instance, pets below 8 weeks old or in some cases 12 weeks, are not allowed to fly. And the same goes for pregnant animals and females with unweaned offspring. In addition to that certain animal breeds and crossbreeds are not allowed on board, like aggressive dog breeds (for obvious reasons), short-muzzled dog breeds (for health reasons), and some cat breeds.

So next time when you and your family are making a move during a pandemic, it’s essential to understand the various relocation pieces and how things can change.