I am always excited to travel and I am fortunate to have a Canine Partner assistance dog called Georgia who loves to travel with me.  When we pack our suitcases, her eyes light up and she gets truly excited.  However, there is a lot of planning and preparation that goes into our travels together, but it is always worth it.

First thing

The first thing to remember is that most airlines and cruise lines will only accept trained assistance / service dogs that are registered with a charity recognised by Assistance Dogs UK or Assistance Dogs International.  Dogs not registered with a recognised organization may, at the discretion of the airline, travel in the hold.  So this article will focus specifically on assistance and service dogs that are registered with an ADUK accredited charity.

Get in touch

The first thing I do and I recommend anyone planning to travel with an assistance / service dog to do, is to get in touch with the organization that your dog is registered with and have a preliminary chat with them about your plans.  They will be able to advise you of any specific requirements they may have and any restrictions that they have.  For example Canine Partners, the organization that Georgia is registered with do not permit me to travel outside Europe with Georgia.  Your organization can also advise you of any legal requirements and up to date requirements.