Vacationing with Your Pets: What You Should Know Before You Go 2
Airlines have certain rules as far as pets are concerned. Some pets
are allowed to travel inside the cabin if they are small enough, and
their bag is small enough, to fit under the seat. Otherwise, they have
to go in the climate controlled cargo hold.

In this case, they would have to be carried in special crates on
board, usually a hard sided crate with a water holder or water bottle
and one or more food dishes.

Each airline has rules and regulations about the dimensions of the
crate depending upon the pet’s size and weight. Your local pet shop
will be able to provide you with such crates. You might also wish to
consult with a livestock carrier for the best techniques for shipping
overseas. Many top dog and cat breeders use them, for example, to ship
show dogs or show cats all over the world.

The best advice I got was to put in nice soft bedding that was
familiar to the pet, and feed it the same thing before the flight, and
after the flight. I flew on British Airways with my prize dog and she
was allocated a special handler who would walk her etc before the
flight. They also suggested NOT tranquilizing the pet because if it
was a flight of more than 5 hours, the meds would wear off and then
the animal might start to panic and cause itself an injury.

So make sure you ask what sort of accommodations your pet will be
given, and most importantly, where you should go in the airport to
drop it off if it is not going in the cabin with you; sometimes you
might need to report to the cargo area of the terminal, not the
passenger terminal.

One other thing to consider is that many airlines have weather rules
regarding accepting pets for travel in the cargo area; too warm or
cold is dangerous for pets in the cargo area. This will also hold true
depending on the climate of certain countries you might plan to visit,
so check first, and always have a contingency plan in case you change
your mind, or circumstances change with the airline at the last
minute.

Also make sure you ask about all costs related to transport, including
whether or not you can provide your own crate, or have to rent or buy
one from them.