Hi,
Wondering if anyone has experience traveling with a cat in cabin internationally on United or TAP, and which is better.
Also will be flying into Portugal, so curious what the experience is like if anyone has done it!
Hello! My partner and I are hoping to welcome a Shiba puppy into our home, however, we travel a fair bit. Is it advisable to leave our Shiba at home (with a trusted house sitter) or is this a bad idea?
My family hasn’t been able to be together for 14 years, for one reason or other but one of my uncles organized something (vacation) so this August we could meet, all of them are going but I haven’t say yes to them since about a year ago I got a puppy, I don’t wanna leave him in a daycare or with a friend, I wanna bring him with us, but we are going to Colombia, so I need help or advice on how to bring him, I live in the US
Hi everyone,
I would love to hear experience of people entering the US with pets (specifically dogs) while holding a H1B visa. Me and my boyfriend adopted a dog in Italy (this is because it is the puppy of my dog in Italy and I was there when she was born so it was extra special for me). My boyfriend is American while I currently hold a H1B.
The dog is 6 months old. All the paperwork (vet certificates, ownership) are in my name. She is vaccinated against rabies and she has a universal microship. I need to fill out the CDC form and I saw that it is possible to list another person as the importer. So I am wondering if it’s better to have my boyfriend bring her or if it’s better I bring her given that there is my name on the paperwork from the vet.
Did anyone go through immigration with a dog and holding a H1B visa? How was your experience?
I’m feeling extra anxious and would love to receive advice! Thank you!
Hey all! After our drama this week about receiving our certificate, I wanted to share our story.
We have two small dogs that we brought from the US into the EU. While the process ultimately worked, it was a close one.
We followed all the rules (appointment scheduled with their vet who handles these all the time 10 days out, info sent electronically through the system), and the certificate was endorsed by the USDA the two days before our flight.
However, despite paying for the fastest shipping possible from FedEx, they lost the first certificate in the mail, which stopped being traceable the day before our flight.
We reached out to our vet that same day, who was able to request an expedited duplicate from the USDA. The USDA endorsed and dropped the second certificate off in the mail (again, with another very expensive FedEx shipping label), and we spent all night tracking both certificates.
Ultimately both certificates arrived at our front door less than an hour before we had to leave for the airport.
Some tips:
If at all possible, use a vet that KNOWS you and is well versed in the process. While our vet does several of these a week, this is the first time they had to request a duplicate due to FedEx losing the package. However, due to experience and her working magic behind the scenes by actually contacting the USDA, it worked out.
Purchase the first overnight shipping label. While it is more expensive than the regular overnight, they seem more receptive to tracking down your package if something goes wrong (because it is not supposed to with that label)
Track your certificate like a hawk. If you don't see movement on your tracking label by two days before your flight, call your vet, because something went wrong.
Be prepared to call FedEx or whichever carrier you're using and ask to be escalated to a supervisor if your package stops being scanned. The first certificate was "stuck" in Memphis for literally 24 hours with folks having no idea as to why. By being persistent, someone finally opened an investigation, escalated the matter, and finally found the first certificate. The second one moved through the system without a hitch.
Have a plan B. To be clear, you shouldn't have to, but with countries that require a wet signature (like the one we went to in the EU), you HAVE to have that certificate. We were prepared to push back our flight (which would have cost thousands of dollars) to wait for that certificate, but really did not want to.
Some other logistics I discovered during this process:
Two dogs can go on the same certificate for the EU. United was fine with it and so was customs in the NL. Two separate certificates were not necessary.
The mesh sturdi carriers are the best! Both my "giant" chi mix (17 lbs) who is tall and my regular sized chi who is also tall for her size (7 lbs) fit in their respective carriers without a hitch. We practiced having them ride in them for months beforehand and they did well on the flight. Both carriers fit under the front of coach seats (but of course with a fair amount sticking out), but nothing that flagged anyone.
The process worked, but barely. We're immediately getting the pups EU pet passports in hopes that we never have to go through such a stressful process again, but thank you to all in this sub. We had to use nearly all of the tricks learned here to make it work, which is totally worth it in the end.
I'm happy to answer any questions and pay it forward however I can!
Hi, I am moving from MA to OR and am finding conflicting results for how to properly handle moving my cat (4 years old, she was rehomed I’ve had her now for 3 years but I never traveled with her before but she is typically is really quiet during car rides but haven’t done long drives with her) and dog (11 years old shihtzu with heart condition/arthritis/joint deterioration/not crate trained but can handle extended car rides in his car seat).
My partner is moving in first, I am planning to fly up to OR later this month, and was thinking of bringing my cat with me since it’ll be the fastest method of getting her over there and trying to cause as less stressful for her as possible but I am planning on driving with my dog across the country since it’ll be less stressful for him that way and idt he’s healthy enough to get stressed out in an airport (never traveled in a plane with him before)
If anyone has had any experience going across the country this far out I’d love to hear from you!
I also want to note, I have time schedule to see their vet this Wednesday as well and want to have as much info to help me plan and prepare as best as possible while meeting both of their individual needs.
Thank you in advance!
i have a cat and my request to bring her on cabin got cancelled because i accidentally booked basic economy instead of regular economy and if i were to change my seat it would cost $360 more and if i were to cancel i wouldn't be able to get a refund at all.
im going on a delta flight its a connected flight from evansville to Atlanta - Atlanta to boston
if anyone is flying on that same flight and is able to have a cat as a personal item with them please let me know. I Will pay you for it, we can ft, call whatever before the flight. she is a very sweet friendly cat, loves people n pets.
He’s a 16 pound dachshund mix. The carrier is 18x11x11. He can do a full 360 and actually did several in it when we tested it out at the store. But he cannot fully stand up. I’m wanting to find a way to take him on a plane for the holidays but am not willing to put him in cargo. Has anyone has a similar sized dog in a carrier this size and gotten on the plane without issues?
Also, any recommendations for airlines that are more pet friendly? Or ones to avoid?
This is so hard to find! I cannot find anything Canada that fits their exact measurements. Please help!!! I'm not interested in paying $80-$100 plus on a bag but even at that price point I still cant find anything. it's the 40cm length that is the problem...at 40cm I can only find 40.6, 41, 42, etc etc
Long story short, we had to fly our epileptic dog from the US to Europe, and went out of our way to use Lufthansa because they have the "animal lounge" in Frankfurt for the layover. Our dog hasn't had any seizure in years because it's controlled by medicine, given every 12 hours. We were told multiple times by Lufthansa before and during booking that they have no problem administering the medicine at the animal lounge during her layover, and that they even have vets on-site to do it. We timed the route correctly so they could do this.
We put the medicine in a super obvious, clearly marked bag with a large sign with very simple instructions for the Lufthansa animal lounge staff to see. If anyone even walked by her crate, you would immediately see it, we made it unmissable.
When we retrieved our dog from the destination airport, we discovered NONE of her medication was given to her.
DO NOT TRUST LUFTHANSA WITH ANY PETS THAT REQUIRE MEDICATION, EVEN IF THEY REPEATEDLY CONFIRM THEY'LL DO IT. We are beyond angry, this was a simple request that they told us they do. If they aren't going to administer the medicine at the lounge, they should have just told us. They made it seem that there was NO DOUBT their staff would do it.
I did reach out to them and they repeatedly sent back automatic messages about medications not being allowed in carry-ons, showing they didn't even bother reading the message at all.
📌 Disclaimer: Sorry for the long post. I wanted to include every important detail so others don’t face the same confusion I experienced. This post was organized and edited with AI assistance only to make it easier to read, navigate, and follow step-by-step. The experience and information shared here are completely based on my real personal journey.
I traveled internationally with my Cat, and I noticed there is a lot of confusion and scattered information online. I am writing this detailed guide so others can safely and smoothly travel with their pets from Bangladesh to USA or Canada without unnecessary stress.
First, visit a government-approved veterinary doctor in Bangladesh. This is very important because documents from private vets alone may not be accepted.
You will need:
✅ Pet Health Certificate
✅ Microchip Certificate
✅ Vaccination Records (Including valid Rabies vaccination)
✅ Several printed photos of your pet
Make sure:
After collecting veterinary documents, you must apply for a (NOC) through the DLS online portal.
📌 Important Notes:
If you want to carry your pet inside the aircraft cabin, you must apply for permission from CAAB (Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh). Only Turkish Airlines allows pet in the cabin. You will need to send a mail to the CAAB authority with the following documents.
Required documents for CAAB:
✅ DLS NOC
✅ Pet vaccination records
✅ Pet health certificate
✅ Confirmed airline ticket
✅ Pet photos
✅ Written application requesting cabin travel permission
✅ Pet weight + soft carrier weight must be under 8 kg combined
Your application should include:
After receiving both:
✔ DLS NOC
✔ CAAB Permission Letter
Send all supporting documents via email to your airline (Turkish Airlines).
📌 Important:
At least 7 days before travel, email the HSIA Animal Quarantine Section with: Livestock Quarantine Station
✅ NOC
✅ Health Certificate and Vaccination record/certificate
✅ Flight details
✅ Passport and ticket information
✅ Pet photo
You also need to pay quarantine processing fee:
💰 BDT 575 ( 500 For Livestock Quarantine Fees and 75 Tk for Tax per pet. Need to pay separately through A challan )
After submission, collect the contact number of the quarantine officer who will assist during departure.
On the travel day:
They usually provide 3 copies of this certificate. Keep them safe.
At the airline counter:
Before boarding, airport officials will ask for the Animal Quarantine Certificate.
This part worries many people, so sharing my real experience:
📌 Important Transit Rule (Very Important to Know)
If you stay inside the airport transit area, Turkish pet import rules generally do not apply to you.
However, if you exit the airport (for example, hotel stay or city visit), Turkey’s pet import regulations can apply. These may include:
If these documents are missing, authorities may:
In my case, I exited the airport with an e-visa and stayed in a pet-friendly hotel, but fortunately no one requested these documents. I consider myself lucky, and others should prepare carefully.
One helpful and lucky situation happened during my connecting flight. My wife and I were seated in a three-seat economy row, and the third seat remained empty. During the 10-hour flight, I was able to place my cat’s carrier on that seat, which made the journey much more comfortable for my pet and us.
During the flight:
Upon arrival in the USA, the process was very straightforward.
Officials only:
No additional documents or quarantine were required.
(Arrival rules can vary slightly by state, but generally it is simple if vaccinations are valid.)
You can complete the entire process yourself.
Approximate DIY Cost:
➡️ Usually within 5,000 - 8000 BDT maximum per cat (excluding Ticket price for your pet). Many agencies charge 30,000 – 50,000 BDT or more (Without ticket). However:
So if you are willing to do the paperwork, you can save a lot of money.
✔ Microchip Certificate
✔ Vaccination Records
✔ Pet Health Certificate
✔ Pet Photos
✔ NOC from DLS
✔ CAAB Permission Letter
✔ HSIA Quarantine Approval
✔ A-Challan Payment Receipt
✔ Animal Quarantine Clearance Certificate
I hope this detailed post helps anyone planning to travel internationally with their pets from Bangladesh. The preparation feels stressful, but the actual journey can be smoother than expected if you plan properly.
Feel free to comment if you need clarification. I’ll try to help based on my experience.
I’m planning an international move with my dog and I honestly feel overwhelmed.
Every airline seems to have different rules, every country has different import requirements...there are breed restrictions, health certificates, permits… I keep finding conflicting information and it’s starting to feel like a full-time job.
Has anyone else gone through this?
I made a super quick 6-question survey because I’m curious whether everyone finds this as confusing as I do or if I’m just missing something. The information is sololy for my bachelor work project about pet locistigs between EU-Asia-USA.
If you’ve ever traveled or relocated internationally with a pet, I’d really appreciate your input.
Also, if you’ve got any tips or lessons you wish you’d known beforehand, I’d love to hear them. 🙂
I've already booked the trip and am going to 10 days to interlaken and taking my brothers golden retrever.
He's just had his rabies jab so need to wait 1 month to get the Animal Health Certificate.
But
I've just read that my brother needs to travel uptown 5 days behind me and i cant go alone with his dog.
Does anyone have any experiece of this edge case?
I just want to hike some beautful mountians with my brothers lovely dog.
I am looking for a carrier that I can wear to put my small dog in. Dog is only 7lbs but the base needs to be real sturdy. I was hoping for a cross body type carrier. I've googled and bought a few on amazon to try but their all too flimsy. Does anyone have any good recommendations? If not a sling then maybe another creative way to carry/push elderly dog? We are working on stroller training but that might be a no go even after working on getting used to it for a few weeks.
I will be driving from northern Maine to CT - about a 5 hour drive - with a dog I am adopting from ME. I won't have a travel companion and I am trying to figure out stops on the way home where I can use the restroom and bring her inside with me. I won't leave her alone in the car due to (1) hot summer weather and (2) fear that she would be stolen. Is anyone familiar with the route and can give me suggestions on where to stop? I know the interstate rest stops won't allow dogs in the building so I'm looking for easy-off-easy-on access to dog-friendly stores. I will be traveling south via Maine Turnpike to NH, then 95 to 495 to 90 (Mass Pike) and into CT. Thanks so much to anyone who can help me. Dog tax appended <3
I (27M) am self-employed and travel a lot for work. I’m single, financially stable, and live in a major U.S. city.
Lately I’ve been thinking about getting a puppy, but I’m trying to be realistic instead of romanticizing it.
I grew up with dogs my entire life (Golden Retriever mixes, Bichon mixes, and Shih Tzus). We always raised puppies, so I’m familiar with potty training, crate training, and the realities of puppyhood.
I work with clients around the country on a project basisz My travel schedule is highly seasonal. Some months I may only travel 6 days, while busier months can be closer to 20. The one constant is that April and May are always my downtime, which is why I’d plan to bring the puppy home in April.
I’m leaning toward a small companion breed like a Shih Tzu or Lhasa Apso because they’re small enough to fly in the cabin and generally fit the lifestyle I’m envisioning.
Those first two months would be dedicated to potty training, crate training, socialization, and building a routine before gradually introducing travel in June.
Long-term, I’d like the dog to accompany me on work trips when it makes sense. Some months that might mean only a handful of travel days, while busier months could mean closer to 20, flying in the cabin and staying in pet-friendly hotels.
Some additional context:
Most of my work days are split shifts (roughly 10 a.m.–2 p.m. and 3 p.m.–7 p.m.), so I’d typically be able to return to the hotel during my break to walk, play with, and let the dog out.
I rarely work more than three consecutive days before returning home.
Most of my flights are direct and under two hours.
When I’m home, I’m generally not working. My job is project-based, so almost all of my working hours happen when I’m traveling. At home, my days are usually spent at the gym, running errands, exploring the city, or relaxing—activities the dog could often be part of.
Even though this is my full-time career, most of the “full-time” aspect comes from the travel itself. When I’m home between trips, I have a lot of flexibility and very few fixed work obligations.
There would probably be 3–6 trips each year where bringing the dog wouldn’t be practical. For those, I’d use a trusted sitter, a friend, or boarding.
A few things people will probably ask:
- During the first two months, the puppy would only be left alone for short errands like the gym or grocery shopping. Long-term, my goal is that the dog is rarely alone for more than about five hours, and if I ever had a longer day, I’d hire a walker or sitter.
- I book all of my own travel, so I can intentionally choose flights and hotels.
- The financial responsibility isn’t a concern.
- I’m planning to work with a reputable breeder because I’m looking for a small companion breed with a predictable size, temperament, and low-shedding coat. There’s a good chance the breeder won’t be local, so the puppy’s first trip home would likely be a flight in the cabin with me at around 8–10 weeks old.
I’m looking for honest feedback from people who’ve raised puppies while traveling or who have similarly travel-heavy careers.
What am I not thinking about? Which parts of this plan seem realistic, and which parts seem naïve?
My spouse and I are flying Turkish Airlines in Economy, Dhaka → Istanbul → Chicago (two TK-operated legs).
We have two adult cats and want to bring them in the cabin, that is one cat per passenger, one carrier each, both within the 8 kg + 23×30×40 cm soft-carrier limits. I know the rule is one carrier in the cabin per passenger. But my concern is can two adults carry their own carriers, i.e., two cabin carriers.
Has anyone successfully had two cats in the same Economy cabin on a TK flight? Specifically curious about:
Hi everyone. I recently took in a dog off the streets of Balchik, Bulgaria. I am currently visiting family in Varna, Bulgaria. I have gotten the dog vaccinated and its EU passport. In 3 weeks time the dog will be legally able to fly to canada, however i am leaving before then. I am leaving the dog with my friends here, but i need to find someone to take the dog with them on their flight over to canada. The dog is so calm, quiet, and doesn’t go to the washroom unless he’s outside. He weighs 10kg and can check through as a carry on. Please let me know what you guys think is my best option / if anyone can take him (I will pay you $150, on top of covering all the fees of course), please let me know - It would be as simple as dropping him off once you’re at the airport, picking him up in vancouver, and leaving him with me at YVR. Thank you!
I want to fly with my dog from the UK to India and return. I understand that UK doesn’t allow pets in the cabin so I am thinking of taking ferry to France and then flight to India. Same route while coming back. On checking through the requirements it seems I will have to complete documentation of four journeys. I am already dreading the process. Any suggestions?
Experience of fellow travellers with their dogs will be beneficial.
PS: I have a small dog - 5kg and 10months.
