Airline Pet Travel Rules

In the US, the Department of Transportation has some basic regulations when it comes to animal travel. Dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old and must have been weaned for at least five days. If puppies or kittens less than 16 weeks of age are in transit more than 12 hours, food and water must be provided. Older animals must have food at least every 24 hours and water at least every 12 hours. Written instructions for food and water must accompany all animals shipped regardless of the scheduled time in transit. Dogs and cats can be brought to the airline for shipping no more than four hours before departure. This limit goes to six hours if shipping arrangements are made in advance. Airlines can't accept dogs and cats for shipment if the airline cannot prevent exposure of the animal to temperatures less than 45 degrees F (7.2 C) or more than 85 degrees F (29.5 C) for more than 45 minutes when the animal is transferred between the terminal and the plane, or for more than four hours when the animal is in a holding facility. These cold temperature limits (but not the high temperature ones) can be waived if if approved by a veterinarian.