Flying With a Large Dog
"Can My Large Dog Fly In-Cabin?"
Hi PetRelocation,
I'm desperately trying to find a way my dog can ride in the cabin of a plane to relocate to Japan.
She is 40 pounds, so "too large" by all standards I can find, but I'm hoping someone can give me an alternative (service dog, therapy dog, specific airline?). We are too scared for her to fly under the plane in cargo.
Thanks,
Jennifer
Hi Jennifer,
Thanks for contacting us! Unfortunately, the short answer to your question is "probably not." Please see more about your dog shipping options or read on for more details.
The cabin vs. cargo dilemma is a common question about pet shipping, as many pet owners are unaware of the conditions within airplane cargo holds and are afraid of transporting their pets that way. A 40-pound dog is indeed too large to travel in-cabin on most (if not all) airlines and will have to ride as cargo.
Besides very small pets, only trained and certified service or support dogs with legitimate documentation can sometimes accompany their owners in-cabin. If your dog is not a certified assistance dog and you are simply trying to find a way around following pet air travel regulations, you will not be allowed to fly your pet in-cabin.
It sounds like you have concerns about cargo travel, but deeper research shows that flying a pet as cargo is safe and may be more comfortable for your dog. Check out this post, where we address questions about flying pets as cargo and another where we disprove myths about shipping pets as cargo.
You'll see that cargo holds are pressurized and climate-controlled and aren't that different from the conditions in which human passengers fly in the cabin. If you book with a pet-friendly airline and your dog's crate is airline-approved and appropriately sized, your pet should ride safely and comfortably as cargo on his trip to Japan.
If you have more questions about pet transport to Japan and are interested in hiring some assistance, contact us for a consultation. We've helped many pets travel safely via cargo and would happily discuss your questions and concerns.
Thanks for your question, and good luck with your move!
Pet Travel Question Details:
Name: Jennifer
Number of Pets: 1
Pet Type: Dog
Pet Breed: Soft-coated Wheaton/Golden retriever mix
From: United States
To: Tokyo, Japan
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