Make an appointment & have your pet examined by your veterinarian; collect pet records. Ask your vet for a reference for a practitioner in the new city. Have all of their health documents in one convenient place. You'll need to pack a travel "suitcase" for your pet. Usually, the certificate must be issued within ten days of the plane trip.
Air travel should be booked four weeks ahead of departure for domestic moves and six to eight weeks prior to international flights. Check the airline regulations. Some airlines have additional and more stringent requirements for international travel. These rules may require additional ventilation and labeling, and a shipper's certification. In the summer, choose early morning or evening flights to avoid extremely hot temperatures. In the winter, choose daytime flights to avoid extremely cold temperatures. Try to book a nonstop flight for your pet to avoid accidental transfers or delays. Don't travel during heavy traffic times such as weekends or holidays.
Get your pet acquainted with the kennel by keeping the kennel in the house with the kennel door open. Try to get your pet to sleep in the kennel or eat there prior to the trip. In order to travel in the plane's cargo hold, your pet must travel in a kennel that meets the following requirements (most pet stores and airlines sell kennels that meet these requirements):
The kennel must be big enough for your pet to stand, sit and lie in a natural position. The kennel must be easy for airline personnel to open (latch the kennel door, but do not lock it!) in case of an emergency, and it must be strong enough to withstand the rigors of transportation. Make sure that the kennel is free of any objects that might injure your pet during the loading process or in flight.
Your pet's kennel must have a solid leak proof floor. Although the regulations allow for wire or other types of ventilated sub floors, they prohibit pegboard floors. Be sure to cover the kennel'
