Rules for the carriage of pets

Pets quite often have to be transported to the veterinary clinic or to the dacha, in addition, many owners take their pets with them on vacation. Therefore, you need to know how to transport pets correctly, as well as what documents you may need for this.

Pets up to 8 kg are transported in portable containers or bags. Some carriers charge a fee for transporting animals. You can put two pets in a portable container (for example, if you have 2 cats or 2 dogs), while paying for only one extra seat.

The owner must independently clean up after his pet during transport. It is also necessary to ensure the safety of others. The owner may be refused to transport the animal if, in the opinion of the carrier, the dog or cat is behaving very aggressively and may harm other passengers. Pets in portable containers can be located in places for carry-on luggage.

When traveling by train, large or medium-sized dogs should be muzzled and kept on a short leash. Cats and small dogs can be in the owner's arms during the trip. On the train, you need to pay for the travel of the animal only if it is placed in the vestibule of the carriage. The animal will not be accepted into the car without the owners or other accompanying persons.

In Russia, for the transportation of service dogs, it is necessary to redeem the entire compartment. Such dogs are not allowed to be transported unaccompanied. A guide dog, together with a disabled person, goes into any carriage, while the necessary documents, except for a certificate of special training for the dog, are not needed.

On the train, special documents must be presented for an animal. To enter European countries, you need a rabies vaccination mark. In the veterinary passport, it must be affixed no later than 12 months and no earlier than 30 days before the date of departure. You also need to do blood test one month after vaccination.

On public transport, passengers can take small pets with them, and there is no need to pay for extra baggage. If the animal is large, the carrier may charge an additional fee. Animals heavier than 30 kg should be placed for the convenience of passengers in the rear of the bus or trolleybus. A veterinary passport for a dog is not required when traveling on public transport, but dogs over 8 kg must be muzzled and kept on a short leash.

In passenger coaches, large dogs (including guide dogs), as in other modes of transport, must be transported in a muzzle and on a short leash. In the metro, small animals up to 8 kg should only be in special carriers. On the train (for example, if you are going to the dacha on weekends), you can transport small animals without special carrying. If it is convenient for both you and the pet, then you can hold it in your arms. Dogs weighing more than 30 kg must be transported in the vestibule, fastened on a leash and muzzled.

On the train, the payment for transporting an animal is not taken only from guide dogs. Long-distance trains have been using only certain compartment classes for transporting animals since 2014. Russian Railways requires documentation for the transported animal:

• veterinary passport with all the data (vaccinations, marks about treatment against parasites, etc.);
• veterinary certificate (if the animal travels abroad).

The veterinary certificate is taken at the state veterinary clinic 1-5 days before departure and is exchanged at the border crossing for an international veterinary certificate.

Airlines transport animals and service dogs of the canine service at a special rate. Not accepted on the plane:

• arthropods;
• brachycephalic breeds;
• reptiles;
• rodents;
• wild animals;
• laboratory animals;
• animals with diseases;
• fish, sea and river animals;
• large animals weighing more than 50 kg with the carrier.

A capable adult citizen must accompany the animal during the flight.

Before boarding the plane, all animals undergo veterinary control, so it is better to arrive at the airport a few hours before departure.

During the flight, the animal must not be released from the portable container or bag.

Consider the following features:

• Small dogs, cats and birds You can take it with you in the cabin, dogs weighing more than 8 kg are transported only in the luggage compartments (except for guide dogs). On guide dog you need to provide the carrier company with documents confirming the disability, as well as documents for the dog, confirming that it has undergone special training.
• Aggressive dog breeds placed in reinforced containers.
• Dog Service Dogs can be in the passenger compartment (muzzle and leash are required), there are no restrictions on the breed and weight of the animal.

If you are traveling with your pet in a car around the city, then there are no special transportation rules in this case. When traveling long distances, you need:

• to microchip an animal when exporting it abroad;
• collect a package of documents from the veterinary clinic (veterinary certificate, veterinary passport with marks on vaccinations in the appropriate time frame, treatment against parasites);
• provide documents from an official canine organization that the animal has no breeding value.

It is better to teach the animal to ride in a car gradually, preferably from an early age. Your pet should be familiar with the special carrier. If you make a stop, be sure to walk the dog on a leash: this way you will not cause discomfort to others, and the dog will not get lost in an unfamiliar area.

If you are traveling alone with your dog and there are no strangers around, there is no need to use a muzzle: it will make breathing difficult, especially in a hot period.

It is better to transport cats in a special carrier, which can be opened no earlier than after 30-40 minutes, when the animal gets used to the movement and the new environment for it (if the cat is not accustomed to driving in a car). In winter, it is recommended to ventilate the car at stops to keep the air fresh. Dogs in the car may need a seat mat (waterproof and washable). A special diaper can be purchased for the puppy.

Cats carry the road better in carriers with air holes. In winter, it is better to choose a bag made of thick fabric. For emergencies, it is best to put an absorbent diaper on the bottom of the carrier.

Rodents can be transported in a cage with a special absorbent diaper on the bottom; food and water must be in the cage.

Birds must be transported in a cage. So that the pet is not frightened, a special protective cape is put on the cage, but not tightly so that there is access to fresh air.

If you plan to travel with your pet, you need to accustom him to carry in advance. You can do test rides in the car, put the carrier at home, and reward your four-footed friend if he walks in on his own and spends some time there. For cats and small dog breeds, a soft and comfortable bike bag is also suitable for transporting animals.

Dogs and cats need a soft, comfortable collar (if they are accustomed to it), which the animal cannot remove on its own. A tag with the name of the animal and your phone should be attached to it. On the carrier in which your pet will be transported, you need to stick a sticker with your data and the name of the animal.

If you are flying on a plane with transfers, then most likely you will not have the opportunity to see your pet before the final stop. That's why there should be a sticker on the carrier, where a request to check and, if necessary, add water is written in different languages, as well as transliterated words that will help calm the animal. For short transplants, it is better not to open the cage.

The animal must have water in a special drinking bowl. During the flight, the dog should not be given food or bones, so as not to provoke vomiting due to motion sickness or stress.

Before the trip, you need to take a good walk with the dog so that the animal falls asleep. Remember the time of the last visit to the tray before leaving, during the trip / flight you can use a well-absorbent mat in the carrier. Stress can cause dogs to chew on the bedding, so teach your dog not to do this beforehand.Due to a nervous shock, animals may not go to the toilet for more than a day.

It is better for the cat to trim its nails before the trip. You need to have veterinary drugs with you for first aid. It is better to consult your veterinarian about what to take with you. To minimize stress, you can put your favorite toys or things soaked in a familiar scent in the carrier.

Before the trip, it is better to introduce cats to noisy places and a large crowd of people, so the animal will understand that it will always return home with its owner. Brachycephalic breeds (Pugs, Pekingese, Bulldogs, Persians, British) do not tolerate stress well: it can provoke difficulty breathing and death. Airlines may refuse to transport such animals.

In the next video, you will find the rules for transporting pets in transport.