EU Pet Passport
The blue booklet issued by authorized vets in the EU that records a pet's identity, microchip and rabies vaccinations.
Dog travel glossary
The vocabulary of traveling with a dog, term by term: paperwork, flying, health and lodging, in plain language.
Animal health certificate (AHC)
The official certificate signed by a government-authorized vet that non-EU travelers need to enter the EU with a dog.
ISO microchip (11784/11785)
The identification transponder standard that EU and US border rules expect.
Rabies titer test (serology)
A lab test that measures rabies antibodies in blood to prove a vaccination worked.
Tapeworm treatment (Echinococcus)
A vet-administered dewormer (usually praziquantel) that Ireland, Malta, Finland and Norway require between 24 and 120 hours before arrival, recorded in the passport or certificate..
CDC Dog Import Form
The free online form every dog entering the United States needs since August 2024.
High-risk country (CDC list)
A country on the CDC's dog-rabies list.
IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR)
The airline industry's rulebook for transporting animals.
Container Requirement 1 (CR1)
The IATA container specification for dogs and cats in the hold: rigid materials, metal door, bolted halves, ventilation, and room to stand, turn and lie down.
In-cabin carrier
The soft or rigid bag that travels under the seat in front of you.
Brachycephalic (snub-nosed)
Short-muzzled breeds like bulldogs, pugs or boxers, with higher breathing risk under heat and stress.
Pet fee
What a hotel charges for the dog, per night or per stay, on top of the room.
Quarantine
Isolation of an animal on arrival, ordered when paperwork or vaccination rules are not met, at the owner's expense.
Fit-to-fly certificate
A vet's note, usually issued within days of departure, stating the animal is healthy enough to fly.
IPATA
The International Pet and Animal Transportation Association, the professional body of pet shippers.
Service dog
A dog individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability (guide dogs among them).
Emotional support animal (ESA)
An animal whose presence comforts its owner, without task training.