Pet Travel Checklist: Pack, Check, Go

Papers and ID

• Microchip registered with your current phone number and address.
• ID tag on the collar with a phone number that will work while you're away.
• Vaccination record and any health papers your vet has given you.
• A recent photo of your pet on your phone, in case they go missing.
• Your vet's number, plus a vet near where you're staying.
• Pet insurance details, if you have it.

See microchipping and ID.

The Travel Kit

• Your pet's usual food, enough for the trip plus a couple of extra days.
• Water from home and a travel bowl.
• Any regular medicines, in their original packaging, with your vet's instructions.
• Leash, harness or carrier, plus a spare leash.
• Familiar bedding or a blanket that smells of home.
• Waste bags, litter tray and litter for cats, paper towels and wipes.
• A favorite toy and a long-lasting chew.
• A basic pet first-aid kit; see pet first-aid basics.

For travel sickness, calming products or any medicines for the journey: see your vet or a pet supply store with trained staff. Ask well before the trip, and never give your pet human medicines.

In the Car

• Pet secured in a crate, carrier or crash-tested harness; never loose. In the UK, the Highway Code says animals must be suitably restrained.
• Carriers strapped in on the back seat or secured in the trunk area of an estate car or SUV, away from airbags.
• Regular breaks for water, a stretch and a toilet stop, with your dog on a leash.
• Never leave a pet alone in a parked car: it can heat up dangerously fast, even on a mild day.
• A light meal a few hours before setting off, rather than just before.

See road trips with pets and hot weather safety.

Where You're Staying

• Booking confirms pets are allowed, and any rules or fees.
• Check the garden or yard for gaps before letting your dog off the leash.
• Set up a quiet corner with familiar bedding, food and water straight away.
• Don't leave pets alone in a strange place until they have settled, and check the rules first.
• Find out about local hazards: livestock, wildlife, beaches, ticks, cliffs.

Not every pet enjoys travel. Cats, small pets, birds and fish are usually happier at home with a sitter; see boarding, sitters and holidays.

Flights and Travel Abroad

• Start months ahead: some countries need a rabies vaccination, a blood test and a waiting period.
• Check the destination's official rules and your own country's rules for coming home.
• Book a vet appointment for the health certificate within the time limit the rules set.
• Check the airline, ferry or train company's pet policy and carrier requirements.
• Some breeds face airline or country restrictions, so check before you book.

Rules differ by country and change. Check official sources such as USDA APHIS and the CDC in the US, gov.uk in the UK, and the destination country's agriculture or veterinary authority.

See traveling abroad with pets and, for birds, traveling with birds.