Veterinary inspection

Duty veterinarian:

• Checks that all the required documents are available;
• Examines the animal;
• If the documents satisfy the applicable requirements and the no problems has been revealed by the examination of the animal, exchanges the veterinary statement for the international veterinary health certificate;
• If necessary, endorses the shipping documents for export.

Each airline has its own list of animals accepted for carriage. The rules indicate whether pets can be taken into the cabin of the aircraft. There are also restrictions on the number of pets that can be simultaneously transported in the cabin.

To make your flight with your pet comfortable and stress-free, please inform the airline that you are planning to travel with a pet and ask for confirmation that this is allowed.

The number of animals that an individual aircraft can take aboard is different. Please inquire the airline about the transportation rules - guarantees given by the carrier, allowances, etc.. Do not forget about your pet's individual behavior.

Documents

The list of documents required for air transportation of animals can be found on the website of the Federal Service for Veterinary and Phytosanitary Supervision in Moscow Moscow and Tula Regions.

Cabin or cargo hold?

Airline's rules typically specify the maximum weight and dimensions and features of the container (cage) housing the pet being transported in the cabin of the aircraft. If the pet is heavier and larger (or the maximum number of pets carried in the cabin has been reached), your pet may be placed in the cargo hold (in this case, additional requirements apply to the container). An exception may be guide dogs accompanying passengers with impaired vision/hearing. As a rule, they are transported in the cabin next to the passenger's seat. The guide dog is required to have a collar and muzzle and be on leash.

Transportation rules

Notify the airline that you are traveling with a pet already when buying your ticket. No more than two pets can be carried per passenger. Address any questions regarding import of the given animal species and breed to the destination country's consulate. The passenger must carry a health certificate issued by a competent government authority and other documents required by the veterinary authorities of any country of departure, destination, and transit.

Container

Container must be large enough so that the animal can stand up fully and rotate 360 degrees. Container height must be equal to the height of the standing animal, width - to the double width of the animal, and length - to the length of the animal's body plus half of its leg's length.

The container must accommodate the animal with comfort. It must be durable and prevent accidental opening of the door during transport. Ventilation opening of the container must be small enough to prevent the animal from squeezing through any part of its body.

The container must withstand impacts such as straining or bending. If a wooden container is used, its connections must be strong enough so that the animal cannot chew or scratch them from the inside and cannot squeeze itself through the gaps formed as a result of weakening of the connections. The container must not have any sharp edges, its inner edges must be smooth and rounded to prevent injury to the animal.

Container used to transport an animal must be labeled with a green "Live Animals" sticker or red "Laboratory Animals" sticker (as applicable). The sticker "Top" must be affixed to two sides of the container. Labeling may be embossed on the container.

Inside the container, there should be holders for bowls with water and feed. It is the shipper's responsibility to provides the animal with feed. The feed must meet all the regulations of the destination or transit country of the animal. Products of animal origin, meat, or products containing meat must not be transported inside the container. Animal feed of unknown origin is not accepted.

The bottom of the container must be waterproof and covered with an absorbent material. The use of straw is not acceptable, since some countries prohibit its importation. The container must be made of non-toxic materials. Chemically impregnated wood and steel drinking bowl can be toxic. The roof of the container must be solid. Ventilation openings may be located across the entire roof, unless this impairs its strength.

As an exception, birds may be transported in securely locked cages covered with a thick opaque cloth.

Make sure that all the container's locks are tight and are fit for use. It is important that the container has no protrusions or surfaces that the animal can scratch or chew and that there is sufficient inflow of air.