FAQ animals

Plan your trip early. This gives your veterinarian enough time to complete any examinations and tests.

IATA guidance says that dogs and cats must be at least eight weeks old and fully weaned. Airlines and authorities may require a higher minimum age. Ask your airline in advance about rules for snub-nosed animals, certain dog breeds, high temperatures and every flight segment.
  

Travel within EU member states

• Dogs, cats and ferrets need a valid EU pet passport for private travel within the EU. An authorised veterinarian issues it. It contains details about the animal, owner, veterinarian and vaccinations.
• The animal needs a microchip. A clearly readable tattoo is accepted only if it was applied before 3 July 2011.
• The animal needs a valid rabies vaccination. For the first vaccination, it must be at least twelve weeks old. The microchip must be inserted or checked before vaccination. You must then wait at least 21 days.
• Dogs travelling to Finland, Ireland, Malta, Norway or Northern Ireland also need treatment against fox tapeworm. A veterinarian must give and record the treatment 24 to 120 hours before entry.

Different rules apply to other species. Protected species may need special permits. Ask the competent authority about exceptions, for example for young animals or for more than five pets travelling to competitions, exhibitions or sporting events.
  

Travel to non-EU countries and return or entry into an EU member state

Dogs, cats and ferrets entering from a non-EU country usually need an EU animal health certificate. An exception may apply if the animal returns with a valid EU pet passport or has a recognised pet passport from certain non-EU countries. The animal must be identified, have a valid rabies vaccination, be healthy and be fit to travel. A rabies antibody test is required if the country of origin is not on the EU exemption list. The current list is available from the European Commission under Listing of territories and non-EU countries. The test has fixed deadlines, so ask your veterinarian early. Certificates issued from 1 October 2026 must use the new EU models.

Current information and country-specific requirements are available on the EU website "Your Europe: Travelling with pets and other animals in the EU". The applicable legislation is decisive; the competent authority can provide binding advice on your individual case.
  

Transit through the EU

At Frankfurt Airport, professional transit care for animals with a transit stay of more than three hours is not possible unless they meet EU entry requirements!

For a private journey from one non-EU country to another non-EU country, pets do not necessarily have to meet EU entry requirements if they remain in the international transit area and do not enter EU territory. If the animal leaves the international transit area and enters EU territory, it must meet EU entry requirements and carry the required documents, even if it leaves the transit area accidentally. This rule must not be applied indiscriminately to commercial animal transport. We therefore strongly recommend meeting EU entry requirements even if only transit through the EU is planned. A copy of the pet passport containing the required supporting documentation should be attached to the transport container.
  

Leaving the EU without re-entry

Please ask the authorities of your destination country which documents and health records are required for entry into a non-EU country. There is no blanket exemption from documentation or customs formalities when leaving the EU for all animal species: protected species in particular may require export permits and customs clearance. Also observe your airline's conditions of carriage. Please understand that we do not have an overview of all entry requirements for each animal species into all countries of the world and therefore cannot provide advice on them.

For private entry with a dog, cat or ferret from a non-EU country, the certificate is usually valid for ten days. The period starts on the date of official issue and ends at the document and identity check at the entry point. For onward travel within the EU, it is then valid for up to six months or until the rabies vaccination expires, whichever comes first. You also need a written statement that the journey is non-commercial. The current certificate model and the authority's decision are decisive.

Dogs and cats need a valid rabies vaccination to enter Germany. The first vaccination can be given at twelve weeks of age. You must then wait at least 21 days. Entry is therefore usually possible from 15 weeks of age. Germany does not make an exception for younger animals without enough rabies protection. If a rabies antibody test is also required, preparation takes longer. The animal must be fully weaned. The airline may have stricter rules.

No. The EU pet passport and IATA CR1 apply only to the species named in those rules. CR1 applies to dogs and cats. Other animals have their own IATA rules, as well as EU, national and possibly wildlife protection rules. Before booking, clarify the species, origin, destination, purpose of travel and airline acceptance. Ask the veterinary authority about legal rules. Ask the airline or a specialist animal forwarder about transport.

No. The airport, customs and the veterinary border control office do not check documents before travel. You are responsible for making sure that the vaccinations and documents match the species and route. EU rules apply when entering the EU. The destination country's rules also apply when leaving. The competent authority can give binding advice.

Before booking, ask your veterinarian and airline whether your animal may travel and is fit for the journey. Snub-nosed dogs and cats have more difficulty controlling body temperature in hot weather. Airlines may therefore apply special rules or refuse transport. Check temperatures and waiting times for the whole journey.

Get approval from the relevant airline for every flight segment. Ask whether the animal will be checked through to the destination or must be collected and checked in again. Also clarify the container, care during longer stops, and entry and transit rules. Frankfurt procedures do not automatically apply at other airports or to separate bookings.

No. Register the journey only with your airline. You do not need to inform the airport, customs or the veterinary border control office in advance. This applies to arrival, departure and transit.

The airline decides whether your pet may travel in the cabin. The permitted species, weight including the carrier, dimensions and available spaces depend on the airline and aircraft. Get approval for every flight segment in advance. Not everyairline accepts birds, rodents or other species.

Dogs and cats must be able to stand naturally, sit upright, turn around and lie down in the cabin carrier. The carrier must meet the airline's rules. It may be soft-sided. Keep all ventilation openings clear. Ask the airline early about the permitted size and placement under the seat.

For dogs and cats in the hold, the container must meet the current IATA CR1 and the airline's rules. It must be strong, escape-proof, well ventilated and have a leak-proof floor. It needs absorbent bedding and food and water containers. The animal must be able to stand naturally, sit upright, lie down and turn around. Wood and rigid plastic are possible, but not every airline accepts every design. Ask theairline about material and size before booking.

Attention: If the transport box does not meet the requirements, it is possible that the animal will not fly with you, even if you have already checked it in.

Please contact your airline exclusively and at an early stage regarding these topics.

If the transport box does not meet the requirements, the animal may not fly. It may not even be checked in. It can also happen that the airline checks in the animal and defects are discovered during a later inspection before loading. In these cases, we are obliged to refuse a flight or ground transport.  

Size of the transport box

The animal must be able to stand in a natural position, lie down, sit upright and turn around while standing. The usable internal dimensions, including the absorbent bedding, are decisive. For dogs and cats, measurement instructions and sizing formulas are available in the IATA container sizing guidance. Some airlines apply stricter criteria; therefore, have the specific container confirmed by your airline in advance.

Ventilation of the transport box

For dogs and cats travelling in the hold, the current IATA CR1 requires ventilation on all four sides. Openings must not be obstructed. Spacers must maintain an air gap from adjacent cargo. Door grilles and ventilation openings must prevent the animal from protruding body parts or becoming trapped. Have any necessary modifications carried out professionally and in agreement with the airline.

Material of the transport box

The transport box must be stable and safe so that the animal cannot free itself from it. Most of the boxes are made of sturdy, non-toxic plastic material or wood. Raffia baskets, cardboard boxes or cages are not permitted. Some airlines have special requirements when transporting certain breeds of dogs. Please contact your airline.

Equipment of the transport box

For dogs and cats travelling in the hold, the container must be lined with suitable, non-toxic absorbent bedding. Use bedding accepted by the airline, such as an absorbent pad or a suitable towel. Not every airline permits newspaper or all types of textiles. Allow for the thickness of the bedding when assessing usable internal height.

Food and water receptacles are required for dogs and cats travelling in the hold. They must be made of safe, non-toxic material, securely attached inside and refillable from outside without opening the container. Agree the specific equipment with the airline. A drinking bottle alone is sufficient only if the airline expressly accepts it as a substitute for the required receptacles.

Plan feeding and watering in advance with the airline and veterinarian according to species, health, total journey time and possible delays; a blanket statement that feeding is unnecessary on every journey is not appropriate. Provide clear care instructions. Check that no sharp corners, edges or nails protrude inside the container and could injure the animal.

Any rollers on the transport boxes must be removed.

Leashes, harnesses or spiked collars

The leash belongs in  your hand baggage, not in the transport box. A leash or harness can pose a strangulation risk inside the container. Ordinary close-fitting collars are permitted, although some airlines prohibit these too. Spiked collars are not permitted.

Use of sedatives

Administering sedatives or tranquillisers can have adverse and unpredictable effects. Therefore, do not give such medication on your own for the journey. If treatment is medically necessary, discuss it with your veterinarian and obtain advance confirmation from the airline that the animal can be carried. Acclimatise your pet to its container well before travel; this may reduce stress during transport and handling.

Other medications

If your pet needs medication on a regular basis (e.g., diabetes, thyroid problems, epilepsy), write this down and attached it to the transport box with the following information:

• Drug name (trade name)
• Dosage and route of administration
• Time of last administration
• Timing of scheduled next administration
  

Agree necessary medication and fitness to travel with the veterinarian and airline in advance. Labelling the container alone does not ensure that medication will be administered en route. Add readily reachable contact details and agreed feeding and watering instructions; airline-required labels must not obstruct ventilation openings.

Not always. Under IATA rules, no more than two adult dogs or cats may travel together. They must be of similar size, used to each other and weigh no more than 14 kg each. Heavier animals need separate containers. The shared container must be large enough for both. The airline must approve the shared transport and the container in advance.

It is best to buy the transport box early from a specialist retailer and get your pet used to it. So on the day of the flight, the "box" is no longer foreign and it travels more calmly.

The marketing claim “IATA approved” does not guarantee acceptance: IATA does not certify or approve particular container brands or models. What matters is whether the specific container meets current requirements for your animal and the airline's additional rules. Clarify suitability with the airline beforepurchase.

Flughafen Gepäck Service (FGS) offers pet transport boxes in sizes Small to XXXL and special pet-in-cabin carriers. Absorbent pads and drinking receptacles are also available.

Location: Terminal 1, baggage reclaim B, at baggage belt 11 (“Kofferstelle”). On the arrivals level, a rear entrance with a doorbell is located between exits B1 and B2.

Information about the range and access is available under Baggage services at Frankfurt Airport. Please contact FGS in advance for prices, availability of the required size and current opening hours: kundenservice@fgs-frankfurt.de.  

There are also specialist dealers who deliver boxes to the airport at short notice.

If your pet travels as baggage in the hold, go to your airline's bulky baggage counter about two hours before departure. You can also check in your other baggage there. Ask the Service Point or your airline where the counter is. If your pet travels in the cabin, go to the normal check-in counter foryour flight.

At check-in, the airline checks the documents, the animal and the container. Different checks apply to cabin and hold transport. A booking confirmation does not replace this check. More guidance is available at IATA: preparing to travel with a dog or cat.

An online check-in is not possible with pets. After check-in there is no possibility to go for a walk with your pet. There is no designated pet relief area at Frankfurt Airport.

If your pet is traveling as excess baggage, meaning in the cargo hold of the aircraft, the security check of the pet cannel is carried out by specialized staff during the check-in process. If you are taking your pet with you in the cabin, you and your pet will go through the regular security check in front of the gates. There, your pet will also be checked in a special room behind the security checkpoint in your presence.

If your pet travels as excess baggage and the transit stay at Frankfurt Airport is less than 3 hours, it will be placed in its transport box in a special room for animals. We make a superficial visual inspection of the animal as well as the transport box and check whether there is enough water, which we refill if necessary. We can't take it out of the box or let it run free. It is not possible for you to visit the animal. We are also unable to provide any information about the condition of your pet during this time. Please refrain from making such inquiries. For transit times of more than 3 hours, we will take it to the Animal Lounge(operated by Lufthansa Cargo) for professional care.

In both cases, you do not need to arrange this yourself. We automatically transfer your pet to the connecting flight. The costs of temporary care are already included in your travel price. Unfortunately, you cannot visit your animal during cargo transit. You can book a premium service through your airline to receive an up-to-date photo of your pet during its stay in the Animal Lounge.

If your pet travels with you in the cabin, you can take it with you to the passenger transit area and reach the connecting flight by yourself.

Important: On a private journey from one non-EU country to another, not all EU entry rules automatically apply. The animal must remain in the international transit area. If it leaves this area, EU entry rules apply and all required documents must be available. In Frankfurt, care for more than three hours is possible only if the animal meets EU entry requirements. Attach copies of the health certificates to the transport box for this purpose. Different rules apply to commercial transport.  

This is only relevant for animals that travel with you in the cabin.

Unfortunately, there are no designated pet relieve areas in the transit areas of Frankfurt Airport. Please have suitable materials with you to clean up your pet's droppings. Please keep your pet on a leash and do not let it run free in the transit area. If the transport box needs to be cleaned, please do so in the toilets.

All animals that travel as excess baggage (i.e., handed over at the airline's check-in counter) will receive a baggage tag upon departure. These animals are handed out in Frankfurt in the respective arrivals terminal after unloading from theaircraft, where you also get your luggage (bulky luggage area).

When leaving the baggage area, you are obliged to walk through the red aisle at customs with your pet (no matter if excess baggage or pet in cabin). The customs officers will then check your pet's documents and microchip at the exit. If there is something wrong with the papers, the animal will be taken to the Animal Lounge for further inspection by the state veterinarians. There you can pick up your animal afterwards.

If the animal does not meet entry requirements, the competent authority decides on the necessary measures, which may include return or officially ordered quarantine at the owner's expense. Return on the next flight is therefore not automatic in every case. Emotional Support Pets are generally subject to the entry requirements applicable to their species. Any exceptions provided for by law require assessment by the competent authority; a person's special status does not replace the required evidence.

This also applies to war refugees, politicians, diplomats, VIPs, military personnel and similar groups.

Animals that are transported alone as cargo (possibly in conjunction with a freight forwarder) and transported under an air waybill (11-digit bill of lading number e.g. 123-1234 5670) must be picked up at the Animal Lounge.

Depending on the airline, you may first have to pick up the documents from the airline at the cargo office. Please keep in mind that veterinary and customs clearance must be completed before you can pick up your pet at the Animal Lounge. There are costs here and you have to plan time accordingly (one to two hours).

If you don't fly yourself, you need a freight forwarder to import or export an animal. Thefreight forwarder makes the booking and creates an airway bill.

Transport as cargo is not automatically a commercial movement. A private journey without sale or transfer of ownership may still qualify as non-commercial if a person authorised in writing accompanies the animal and the owner travels no more than five days before or after the animal. Without the required connection to the owner's journey, the rules for non-commercial pet travel do not apply. Clarify the classification and required documents with the competent veterinary authority in advance.

Appropriate handling agents could be:

• Petshipping GmbH,
  Phone: +49 69 690 50081, www.petshipping.com
• Animal Logistics,
  Phone : +49 6107 4077 921, www.animallogistics.net

The customs and veterinary clearance in Frankfurt can theoretically be done by yourself. However, it is time-consuming and you have to be mobile, because the path leads around the airport. The freight forwarders can also take care of this (costs approximately € 100.00).

Upon arrival, your pet will be taken to the Animal Lounge. There you can pick up your animal.

Please keep in mind that the dog center is NOT used for animals that are in transit through Frankfurt.

At the dog center, you can drop off your dog and have it looked after for the duration of your holiday trip. Please book this there well in advance.

Contact:

Website:  http://hundezentrum-fra.de

E-mail: info@hundezentrum-fra.de

Phone: +49 160 90834225

Have you read all the FAQ and your questions are not answered yet?  

For general questions about the handling of animals at Frankfurt Airport, please contact Fraport Wildlife & Animal Services.

E-mail: avi-services@fraport.de

For questions on the legal status of the import, export or transit of animals please contact the Veterinary Border Inspection Post at Frankfurt Airport

E-mail: poststelle.tgsh@lhl.hessen.de