Tips for Planning Pet Air Travel Within the United States

Hi There!

This December we'll be (temporarily) flying from California to Georgia to visit my parents for the holidays. Are there any special requirements I should know about for flying into the state of Georgia with a pet dog? Thanks for your help!

Wyatt

Hi Wyatt,

Thanks for your questions! It's a great idea to start preparing for pet travel well in advance of your departure date.

For pet travel within the United States, your dog will need an up-to-date rabies vaccine and a vet health certificate stating he or she is healthy and fit to fly (this should be issued within 10 days of travel). We recommend checking with the airline you'll be using to find out exactly what they require so that you can avoid problems. Once you're in Georgia, we just recommend that you have proof in the form of a rabies tag that your dog is current on his/her rabies vaccine.

Since it sounds like you have a smaller dog, you're probably planning to fly with your dog in the cabin. Whether you're choosing cabin or cargo, we recommend helping your dog to become acclimated to the travel crate in the weeks before you move -- this can help a lot in terms of cutting down on stress and anxiety.

Note that the holidays can be a hectic time to travel so you'll also want to make sure you have plenty of supplies (dog water bowl, food, etc.) in case you end up being delayed. Many airports now have pet relief stations, so depending on whether or not you have a layover you may want to research your options ahead of time so that you'll be prepared to spend your airport time wisely.

If you end up deciding you'd like to transport your dog via cargo and would like to hire some assistance with your move, please contact us for a pet travel consultation. Thanks again for your question and good luck with your travels!

 

Pet Travel Question Details:

Name: Wyatt Banks
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Chihuahua/Dachshund mix
From: California, USA
To: Georgia, USA