Choosing the right kennel for your pet

When travelling with your pet, it’s important you have the right travel kennel. See below a few quick hints and tips on how to make sure you get the right travel kennel for your furry four-legged friend. We know your pets can come in all different shapes and sizes, but don’t worry—so do our travel kennels. To ensure your pet’s comfort and safety, all animals travelling must move in a properly sized travel kennel that conforms to IATA Live Animal Regulations.

Iata kennel requirements

See below some important kennel requirements:

• Must be large enough for your pet to stand with their head erect, turn around and lie in a natural position. Their head or ears, whichever is higher, must not touch the top of the kennel.
• Must be constructed of rigid plastic, wood or metal. The roof must be solid with no doors or ventilation openings.
• Must have ventilation on three sides for domestic travel and four sides for international travel and short-nosed dogs.
• Must contain two dishes accessible from the outside

How to measure your pet for the correct kennel size

To help you find the right kennel for your pet, take a look at the calculation we use to find the correct size kennel:

Length = A + 1/2B
Width = 2 x C
Height = D

A = length of the pet from tip of nose to root of tail
B = height from ground to top of leg or elbow joint
C = width across right & left shoulders
D = height of the pet in natural standing position from ground to the top of the head or the tip of the ear in erect ear breeds (for a cat you might find it easier to measure height while cat is sitting with head erect)

Top tips for acclimatising your pet to their travel kennel

• When introducing your pets to their kennel for the first time, it can help to do it gradually and in a positive manner.
• Try to get your pets to see the kennel as a place where they can go rest and relax—placing the kennel in a spot where your pet would usually sleep can be a good way to do this.
• Putting only the bottom half of the kennel up at first and encouraging your pet to enter – half a kennel can seem a lot less daunting! As your pet becomes used to only half the kennel, you can then add the top half and eventually, the door too – it’s vital you praise and reward your pet through the process!
• Make sure the door is held open, or put your kennel together without the door, so that your pets know they can get out of the kennel if they decide to go in.
• Put some familiar items in the kennel to make it feel more like home for your pet—their usual bed and/or blankets will help your pet build familiarity with the kennel.
• Encourage your pets to eat their dinner near the kennel at first, then place the bowl closer each time, until your pet is happy to eat inside the crate.
• On the day of travel, try putting a familiar item into the sky kennel that your pet can associate with you—an item of clothing you’ve been wearing that will have your scent.