Traveling with pets can be stressful, especially when you need to transport them by air. There are various regulations and procedures in place to ensure the safety and well-being of animals in transit. One term that often comes up in this context is AVIH

Traveling with your pet on an airplane can be a stressful experience for both the pet and the owner. Although air travel with pets is becoming increasingly popular, there are still risks involved. In 2021, over 256,000 pets were transported on airlines, with 7 deaths, 14 injuries, and 0 pets lost.

Although the risk of death or injury of a pet while traveling by air is relatively low, certain breeds of animals are more susceptible to health risks. Brachycephalic breeds, or breeds with short noses, such as French Bulldogs, Pugs, and Boxers, are more likely to suffer from respiratory issues while in the air.

I'm a former travel agent, so I know the value of reconfirming reservations. For 8 years now, I've traveled with my 11 lbs. dog as an in-cabin pet between Central America, where I currently live, and the USA.

Do you know where the closest emergency veterinary hospital is? How fast could you find the information? What if you were on the road or traveling by airplane?

PetFlight has recently added an Emergency Veterinary Clinic Search to make it easy to find this information. This includes the information for almost 700 emergency vet clinics and hospitals in the United States and it is very easy to find the closest one.

Generally, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention regulates the importation of pets into the United States. The Department of Agriculture has additional restrictions on some types of dogs imported to work livestock. The CDC does not require general health certificates, though they are required by some airlines and some states. Pets taken out of the United States are subject to the same regulations as those entering for the first time. Pet dogs and cats are subject to inspection on arrival for evidence of zoonotic disease (a disease that can be transmitted to humans). If they show evidence of a disease that may be transmissible to humans, they are subject to veterinary medical...

The Transportation Security Administration reports that there are no security procedures that prohibit you from bringing a pet on a flight.

If you are taking your pet in the cabin, you will have to...

Exercise your pet before the flight so it will be more relaxed and tired this will help it to remain calm in the kennel.

Your pet should be completely comfortable with its kennel or carrier that it will be traveling in. Trying to escape from a kennel is another common cause of pet injury during transport by plane.

Choose the most direct flight to your destination. This will help reduce the stress on your pet.

If warm temperatures are a concern, book an early morning, evening, or overnight flight when the temperatures are cooler. If cold weather is an issue, book your flight for the middle of the day.