Live Animals Air Transportation

An animal is the only cargo that can be distressed by the journey itself. Temperature, noise, pressure, and time in the crate all affect welfare, and every one of them is decided before the animal reaches the airport — by the routing chosen, the crate approved, and the paperwork prepared.

UCL Cargo books live animals only onto aircraft and routings where the carrier confirms a pressurised, temperature-controlled live animal hold. Connections are kept short, night departures are preferred in hot months, and animals wait in quiet, shaded areas rather than on open tarmac.

The service runs from crate selection through to release at destination, under IATA Live Animals Regulations throughout.

• IATA LAR-compliant crate sizing, sourcing, and labelling
• Pressurised holds maintained at approximately 20 °C in flight
• Pre-flight and post-flight veterinary examinations signed on site
• Health certificates, rabies records, and import permit guidance
• Quiet, shaded holding areas away from airport noise
• Feeding and watering instructions attached to the crate
• Customs and quarantine clearance at both ends
• Optional vet chaperone on suitable routings

Crate size is not a preference, it is a regulation. IATA requires the animal to turn about fully while standing and to stand and sit erect in natural postures. The calculator above applies the standard formula, but the operating airline makes the final approval and may require a larger series for a broad-chested or long-eared breed.

The crate must be rigid, have ventilation on at least three sides, a secure door with a central locking bar, and spill-proof water and feed containers accessible from outside. Snub-nosed breeds face additional restrictions with many carriers and are best discussed before any booking is made.

Every destination sets its own import conditions, and they are rarely identical. Most require a veterinary health certificate issued within a fixed window before departure, proof of current rabies vaccination, and an import permit obtained in advance by the consignee.

Because UCL Cargo clears customs in-house, these documents are checked against one another and against the booking before the animal travels. Requirements that take time — permits, titre tests, or quarantine reservations — are flagged at the first enquiry rather than discovered at the airport.

The service covers companion animals through to commercial livestock movements.

• Families relocating abroad with pets
• Breeders shipping animals to buyers overseas
• Equestrian transport for competition and breeding
• Livestock and poultry consignments
• Zoo and conservation animal transfers
• Laboratory and research animal movements

To arrange transport, contact UCL Cargo with the species, breed, the four measurements above, the destination, and your preferred travel window. We confirm the crate series, routing, and documentation before anything is committed.