Not without my pet

With all the hustle and bustle that goes on before setting out on a trip, it is easy to forget something. And when you have a pet, the challenge seems even greater. An animal behaves, in some cases, like an ordinary passenger, but the experience can be stressful if you do not consider some recommendations. Before you leave, for example, you should find out whether the accommodation you have chosen admits pets, you should have a health certificate for travelling issued by your vet (essential for plane trips) and you should have a first aid kit at hand for our pet, should complications arise.

In Spain, travelling by train with pets does not usually present any big problems. One animal per passenger is allowed and generally the service is free on local trains. On long distance trains, you only pay half the ticket, provided the animal does not exceed six kilos and the container transporting the pet complies with the regulations set out by the railway company. Otherwise, the animal is checked in as baggage. These conditions also apply to the AVE high-speed train.

However, regarding trips by air, there are more requirements. To begin with, pets under eight weeks old cannot fly, although it is recommended to wait until they are twelve weeks old. The procedures to be complied with vary depending on whether it is a national or international flight. On national flights, you must have a health card along with veterinary documentation and a health certificate issued ten days prior to the flight. On trips abroad, as well as the documentation previously mentioned, you must consult the specific regulations of the country you are travelling to. Once you have overcome this hurdle, you are allowed to carry pets as hand luggage if they weigh less than six kilos. If this is not the case, the airlines will keep it in the hold, provided that the animal is handed in three hours before take-off and in a large and ventilated container.

On sea voyages, the pet will have to stay in a special compartment, located beside the hold. On long crossings, you can visit your pet and even take it out for a walk if you have the corresponding authorisation from the captain. Travelling with pets by bus, on the other hand, is practically impossible, as when it is a public bus service, passengers are not allowed to board with any kind of animal, except in the case of guide dogs for the blind or if there is an area set aside for their transport, which is usually not the norm.