Sky Kennels

A Guide to IATA Pet Travel with Sky Kennels

Fri, 09 Feb 2024 12:24:25 GMT

Ready to go international with your pets? Here's what you need to know!

Buckle up, pawrents - international pet travel is a whole new ball game! We know that moving or traveling is a mixed bag of excitement and stress - and that’s why we are here to guide you through all of the requirements.

What does IATA stand for? This is the International Air Transport Association , and they're basically the UN for airlines, setting the gold standard for animal travel safety and welfare. Think of them as the Pawsitive Police!

Now, what do these furry-friendly regulations entail?

Firstly, IATA dictates the minimum dimensions for travel kennels, ensuring your pet has ample room to stretch, snooze, and even practice their downward-facing dog. All our Sky Kennels are fully compliant with the IATA Live Animal Regulations in order to transport your pets safely and comfortably on their domestic and international routes.

Another IATA rule concerns age. No whippersnappers allowed! Pups and kittens must be at least eight weeks old, fully weaned and compliant with all veterinary requirements of their destination before embarking on their grand adventure. Most airlines won’t actually accept pets under 3 months old and if a rabies vaccine is required, pets can’t have that until they are at least 12 weeks/3 months old and then there may be a waiting period post vaccine. And just like humans, senior pets might require extra TLC, so consulting your vet before booking is always important.

Speaking of health, vaccinations are another very important requirement, protecting them and complying with all destination requirements. At Sky Kennels Ltd , we can even help you navigate the maze of health certificates and import permits, taking the stress out of the process.

Now, let's talk about travel companions. Two furry friends can travel together in the same sky kennel, but only if they're besties from the same litter, under six months old, and weigh less than 14 kg each. Many airlines will still require that there is a divider between the pets sharing a sky kennel.

And finally, remember, your precious cargo deserves the VIP treatment! IATA regulations ensure proper ventilation, temperature control, and even hydration – basically, everything to make your pet's flight as comfy and stress-free as possible.

So, there you have it, pet parents! With IATA regulations and Sky Kennels Ltd as your wingmen, your furry globetrotter is set for an unforgettable adventure. Remember, a little planning and preparation go a long way in ensuring a smooth and happy flight for everyone involved. And remember, we're always just a bark away to answer any questions you might have!

Snub Nosed (Brachycephalic) Breed Update

Mon, 08 Jan 2024 10:54:19 GMT

Planning a move with your snub-nosed breed? Here's an important update!

These cute little wrinkly snub-nosed breeds are becoming more and more popular, the French Bulldog is now apparently the most popular breed in the UK and the USA. As cute as these breeds are, they do present a few challenges when it comes to pet travel, as all snub-nosed breeds can suffer from Brachycephalic Obstructive Airway Syndrome (BOAS) , which is effectively a condition often seen in flat-faced dog breeds and refers to the range of problems they can have which cause issues with their breathing.

As a result, many of the airlines are reluctant to accept snub-nosed breeds on their flights, which impacts the routing available for us to transport them to certain places. Right now, Australia is proving quite a challenge. Ordinarily, we can choose between 3 or 4 airlines, but unless your little snub is a Shih Tzu, right now we only have 1 airline option to Australia involving an export from the UK to a third country, a lengthy stopover with repeated tests done in that country and then a further export from there to Australia. This has obvious cost implications on the price of the relocation.

As mentioned above, certain snub-nosed breeds such as the Shih Tzu are accepted by more airlines than other snub-nosed breeds such as the French Bulldog, Boston Terrier, Pugs, etc, but even the Shih Tzu needs to go via an extended routing to get to Australia.

Right now, we are waiting for the Australian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries & Forestry (DAFF) to sign off on the tests required in third countries for pets traveling via them to Australia. We at Sky Kennels are liaising daily with the airlines, third country agents and Governments, DAFF, and our partner agent in Australia to try and get a solution in place as we have many clients with snub-nosed breeds that are desperate to travel to Australia, but right now we cannot say when this will happen.

Transport of Brachycephalic breeds by air has become increasingly difficult due to airline policy restrictions affecting the movement of these breeds. Whilst airlines have the right to refuse carriage to any breed they see fit, the movement of Brachycephalic breeds globally, and the demand on airlines, remains at an all-time high due to the popularity of these breeds.

As an industry, our representative association, IPATA has done lots of research with world-leading universities and vets to study BOAS and the potential impact on snub-nosed breeds flying. Brachycephalic breeds can be transported humanely and safely by identifying those pets that SHOULD NOT FLY (severely BOAS affected) using a specific IPATA Fit-to-Fly Assessment Sheet , performed by a certified Veterinarian.

It is necessary to distinguish between a normal brachycephalic individual and one affected by BOAS. The term brachycephalic denotes a dog that is “short skulled”.

Not all brachycephalic individuals have BOAS , in fact in our data less than only 5% of brachycephalic dogs are severely affected by BOAS .

BOAS is an umbrella term for a group of anatomical abnormalities leading to obstruction and narrowing of the airways characterized by narrow nasal openings, elongated soft palate, thick, fleshy tongue, larynx (voice box) abnormalities, and narrowed windpipe.

The IPATA Research and Development (R&D) Task Force has developed the Brachycephalic Fit-To-Fly Assessment - created to individually assess the general health and grade the animal for its respiratory function (BOAS assessment).

Those animals identified with severe respiratory compromise are considered unfit to fly.

The Fit-To-Fly Assessment supports the widely held view that there are specific “high risk” brachycephalic breeds; All Bulldogs (French, English, American, Australian) Pugs and Boston Terriers that warrant a higher degree of scrutiny compared to other snub-nosed breeds.

The BOAS Certification Program has been developed to achieve consistency regarding veterinary assessments and to ensure all those involved in the process understand the importance of identifying those (few) animals that should not fly. At Sky Kennels we have BOAS-certified Pet Travel Partners who can guide you through the assessment process.

As you have seen, a very small percentage of “short-skulled” breeds have BOAS, so in the meantime, try to keep your pet as healthy and fit as you can, lots of exercise, and have a balanced diet to ensure they are not overweight and you’ll hopefully be on the way to a successful BOAS assessment.

For now, please watch this space, bear with us, and as soon as we get better clarity on possible routes for your little cuties, we’ll let you know.

Sky Kennels launch online shopping

Thu, 09 Feb 2023 12:08:22 GMT

We've launched our online shopping facility

Another happy family!

With our extensive new range of travel kennels designed exclusively for your beloved pooches and moggies, let your pet travel in style with Sky Kennels Travel Crates. Browse the range and let us know if you need any guidance. Visit out shop now.

Sky Kennels launch online shopping

Fri, 14 Oct 2022 11:01:39 GMT

We've launched our online shopping facility

With our extensive new range of travel crates designed exclusively for your beloved pooches and moggies, let your pet travel in style with Sky Kennels Travel Crates. Browse the range and let us know if you need any guidance. Visit out shop now.

Fireworks Can be Scary!

Thu, 03 Oct 2019 11:56:54 GMT

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As the night's draw in and we move in to wellies and coats for our walks, we should also start to think about how things can affect our pets. If your pets are anything like our little rescue dog, Pickle, you'll know exactly what I mean. Pickle likes order, she likes calm, she likes quiet - well unless it's her chasing us round the fields when we play tag on our walks that is! As we approach Halloween, Bonfire Night, Christmas and New Year's Eve we try and make sure Pickle is ready for everything that comes with these nights of human fun and frolics. We can obviously do everything in our own home to make sure she is calm and safe, but we can't dictate what our friends and neighbours may have planned. We know there'll be lots of visitors to the house, that's OK, she loves people and is very sociable. What she doesn't like is loud bangs, so fireworks are her worst nightmare!

So what can we do when there is a fireworks display going on down the road in the local park, to ensure she feels as clam and safe as possible? Well first of all keep the environment safe for them, make sure doors and windows are closed - not only does this reduce the noise, it also means they cannot bolt and run when they are scared. Try not to leave pets on their own, if you know there is an event that may frighten them. Keep their routine as normal as possible, have some "normal" noise on in the house, music or the TV are great as background and again will help mask some of the bangs outside. Reassure them and stay calm yourself. If you get anxious or angry at your "thoughtless" neighbours, your pets will sense that, and it will add to their stress.

You can also try some form of relaxant, there are lots on the market, but speak with your vet and work out which may be best for your pet. Remember many of these products require a period of time to maximise the results, so don't leave it until the night before to start introducing your pet to a new product.

I hope these suggestions help keep you and your pets calm and safe over the winter.

Brexit and Pets

Fri, 16 Aug 2019 09:28:47 GMT

So what happens now?

BREXT!! There is still lots of talk and misinformation about the impact of BREXIT on pet travel.

Firstly and most importantly, don't worry, pets are still be able to travel to and from the UK and the EU - there are some changes to paper work and a few additional veterinary preparation steps to take to enable pet travel between the UK and the EU, but pets can still travel.

So what has changed? Well, under current thinking the EU has said that it no longer views the UK as rabies free, so it won't recognise a UK issued Pet Passport and it requires a pet to have a microchip and a rabies vaccination. In place of the EU Pet Passport, you will need an Animal Health Certificate for each trip. These are issued by vets following a short examination of the pet concerned.

If you are planning to take your pet to an EU country, then we would advise talking with your vet well in advance. For the very latest news and updates, please check in with our Blog regularly or go to Gov.uk

There is no change to pet travel to and from the UK from any destination or origin outside the UK, so pets coming in from, or going out to any other part of the world are unaffected by BREXIT, other than the paperwork has changed to reflect UK, rather than EU. If in doubt, call us or speak with your vet.

Moving your Pets

roger@initiate.co.uk (Roger Knowles) — Thu, 15 Aug 2019 12:44:27 GMT

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We are excited to announce that we will be developing our pet relocation options over the coming months and look forward to welcoming you and your pets to the Sky Kennels Travel Club! Please keep your eye on our website for more updates.