There are many things to consider before taking your dog or cat along on an international vacation – from logistics and documentation to your pet's personal preferences, says Tamara Thiessen.
Photo © Getty Images / lechatnoir
More than half of the world's population owns a pet, and according to the UN, 1.4 billion people traveled internationally in 2024. Pets are our companions – members of the family, really – so it’s natural to want to take them along on vacation. But is it practical, let alone desirable for the pets?
When I inherited a cat from a suburban garden in Paris around 2014, I was immediately faced with the challenge of traveling with her back to my then home in Germany.
The trip was by car. It was a nightmare, but we survived. Cupcake, as I christened her, was not accustomed to travel, at already around 8 years old. She did not take to my idea of giving her a breath of fresh air en route in the Champagne vineyards, attached to a cat leash (what was I thinking?), and my partner and I still bear the scars today.
The situation was a far cry from friends who regularly travel around Europe with their cat sitting on their lap in the front passenger seat. But they started out early. Whether a dog or a cat, if you want to make good travel companions out of them, you must train them to travel while they’re young. But it still doesn't guarantee they will enjoy a road trip, let alone flying.
Cupcake became a seasoned, though not super enthusiastic, traveler over time. As a journalist and travel writer, I was shooting off to many places with her. But all of them were across a land border, not overseas. That is an entirely different ball game.
- How to fly with a dog or cat
- Is it stressful for pets to fly?
- Traveling with pets on trains and public transport
- How to travel with a dog in a car
- International travel with pets: rules and requirements
- Pet-friendly accommodations and attractions
- Travel with pets: weighing the options
How to fly with a dog or cat
A big question will be finding an airline that allows pets onboard – and as carry-on or cargo. Some carriers, like American Airlines, don’t allow pets as carry-on to Europe – even though they do at home. Delta makes no exceptions for Transatlantic flights. But like many airlines, it has other rules such as maximum pet size – or minimum age – kennel dimensions. and the number of pets accepted on each flight.
“We have a first-come, first-serve policy for pets in the cabin,” Delta says. The fee is $200 one-way.
Air France puts any pet that weighs over 8kg/17.5lb in its carrier in the hold, as does Lufthansa. So check the fine print of your airline’s pet policies and fees before jumping in. Alaska Airlines will take your pets to Mexico, Canada, and the Bahamas, among other places, but not to Belize or Guatemala, and recommends against Costa Rica travels because of the risk of screwworm.
Is it stressful for pets to fly?
Animal organizations advise against non-essential air travel for pets. But plenty of globetrotting dogs out there are ready to prove them wrong. Near or far, by plane, train, or car, one of the key considerations when deciding to journey with your pet will be whether they like it. Both dogs and cats will soon let you know with their behavior and body language.
Partly, it’s trial and error. I learned in time how to make car trips more comfortable for Cupcake, dealing with the motion sickness – the drooling, meowing, and pooping – with cat-calming treatments.
Vets say time-zone changes, noisy airports, and changes in diet and medications can make air travel stressful for your pets. Add to that confinement on the plane and altitude and pressure acclimatization.
Consult your vet as to what is best for your pet. You will also want to research the availability and quality of vet services at your destination.
Some people turn to pet travel consultants and transport services to make all the travel arrangements. But these are primarily for relocating, not vacationing, with pets. Others who can afford it choose charter options for flying with pets.
Traveling with pets on trains and other public transport
Once you get to your European destination, train travel with your pet will be a relative breeze, as will public transport, though it depends on which country.
Cupcake and I traveled regularly on the European rail network. Usually, I had to pay her way – around €15 a trip. Again, you must check the national rail at your intended destination for rules about cage size, animal weight, the need for leashes and muzzles, and bans on some dog breeds.
How to travel with a dog in a car
If you fancy taking your pooch on an international road trip, see how they take to car travel at home first. And prep well with the right travel gear – food, water, a dog seat belt and safey harness, and a booster seat – to keep your dog comfortable and protected. An unrestrained dog can cause distractions and could be seriously injured (or injure the driver or passengers) in an accident.
Also, plan on potty stops or take along portable pet toilets or pee pads – and any required meds for anxiety or nausea.
International travel with pets: rules and requirements
Traveling with pets in Europe
The processes and paperwork for an American or Brazilian pet-cationing across continents to Europe are much the same as for a German on holiday with their pets in France. The EU rules for traveling with pets – specifically dogs, cats, and ferrets – apply to travel from outside the EU as well as within.
EU residents need an EU Pet Passport for their pet – which you can get from any authorized vet. The vet will check that your pet meets all the requirements: that it's been microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. A pet passport is valid for life as long as your pet's health information and vaccinations remain up to date.
If traveling from a non-EU country or territory, your pet will need an EU animal health certificate – this must be issued by a vet in the departure country no more than 10 days before your pet's arrival in Europe. It is valid for travel between EU countries for four months.
There may be other health rules depending on the country you're coming from – and going to. For example, if you're headed to Finland, Norway, Malta, or Ireland with your pooch, it must be treated for tapeworm infection one to five days before traveling.
The EU's Europa website has a handy tool for checking travel requirements by country. All the necessary treatments are ticked off on your pet's passport or EU animal health certificate.
There are set points of entry you must arrive at with your pets, but these are basically at every international airport in Europe. While many people report that authorities don’t end up checking their pet’s documents, they all advise sticking to the rules – apart from anything else, it’s not worth the risk of being turned back.
Where can I travel with my pets?
Many countries have similar rules to Europe for traveling with pets – microchips, rabies vaccinations, and pet ID. And that includes road trips between the US and Canada (the rules are less strict for Canadians visiting the US). If you have a place in mind, you need to immediately check the requirements for taking pets.
For some pet owners, there are definitely no-go countries – eliminated because of their distance as much as the difficulty of getting pets in. Australia is one of them unless you're coming from New Zealand and some other nearby islands. Even “compliant animals”, says the Government, which meet all the health conditions, will undertake “a minimum” 10-day quarantine when arriving from the UK, US, or other Group 3 countries. Whoops, there goes the vacation.
Bali and Jamaica are among the many other destinations with prohibitive quarantine times and costs for pet travel.
Heading off on an adventure? Find out how travel insurance can cover lost or stolen baggage, sudden illness, trip cancellation, or other mishaps.
Pet-friendly accommodations and attractions
Finding a hotel isn’t your only concern once you cross the borders or oceans with your pet. After all, you’re not just going to dump your bags and pooch and go sightseeing, are you? If so, what was the point in bringing your furry companion along?
There are myriad pet-friendly accommodations and activities around the world, from pet-friendly cafes and restaurants in France to beaches in Croatia, pubs in the UK, and national parks in Canada and the US – both paradises for pet travel.
Europe has many pet-friendly small hotels, guesthouses, and self-catering options – particularly in France, Germany, Switzerland, and Spain – as do the UK, the US, and Canada. Groups like Accor and Marriott charge a pet cleaning fee, which varies between properties and countries but can be a bit steep – up to $150.
Airbnb says 27% of its listings are pet-friendly. Colombia, Brazil, India, and Chile top the list, followed by Austria, the UK, the US, Mexico, and Switzerland.
Travel with pets: weighing the options
If you want your pets to tag along, you might have to tailor the trip to them, and perhaps consider sticking closer to home.
Sure, we can get stressed about leaving our pets behind – and they can get anxious about their owners leaving. However, the stress and hassles of traveling overseas may outweigh those problems.
In the end, we have to listen to our pets. Where would they prefer to be – at home or away?
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