What documents do I need when traveling with a service animal?
A trained service dog flies on a US DOT form, but the destination country's animal import rules and each hotel's access policy still apply. Emotional support animals are treated differently.
Updated
Service animal or emotional support animal
The legal difference between the two decides most of your paperwork, so start here. A service animal is a dog individually trained to perform specific tasks for a person with a disability, such as guiding, alerting to a medical event or retrieving items.
An emotional support animal provides comfort by its presence but is not trained to perform tasks. Since the US rules changed in 2021, airlines flying to, from and within the United States are not required to treat emotional support animals as service animals, and most now carry them as ordinary pets under the standard pet policy and fee.
A psychiatric service dog trained to perform tasks is a service animal, and US airlines handle it the same way as any other service dog.
The airline paperwork
For flights touching the United States the key document is the DOT Service Animal Air Transportation Form. You complete and sign it, and it attests to the dog's health, training and behaviour.
- The DOT service animal form, submitted in advance through the airline, often at least 48 hours before departure.
- A second DOT relief form for flights of eight hours or more, covering how the dog will relieve itself hygienically or avoid doing so.
- Vaccination records, particularly rabies, which airlines and borders both ask for.
- Your ticket with the animal noted on the booking, since airlines limit how many service animals travel per flight.
Outside the United States, airlines follow their own rules and their local regulator. Many accept assistance dogs free of charge in the cabin, but they set their own notice periods and often want proof of training from a recognised programme. Ask the airline directly and get the answer in writing before you book.
The destination country still decides
A service dog is not exempt from animal import law. Border and biosecurity agencies apply their usual requirements, and many make no special allowance for assistance dogs at all.
- An ISO standard microchip, implanted before the rabies vaccination.
- A current rabies vaccination and the waiting period that follows it.
- The right health document, such as an EU pet passport or a government-endorsed animal health certificate.
- Tapeworm treatment for the countries that require it, recorded by a vet within the stated window.
- An import permit, and for rabies-free destinations a rabies antibody blood test taken well in advance.
Important: Assistance dog status does not override a quarantine requirement. Countries such as Australia and New Zealand apply their biosecurity rules to service dogs too, and the preparation can take many months, so start as early as you can.
Access rules on the ground
Where your dog may go once you arrive is decided by national law, not by the airline. Some countries give assistance dogs a broad legal right of access to hotels, restaurants and public transport. Others give no statutory right at all, and it comes down to the individual business.
Some countries also recognise only dogs accredited by specific organisations, which means a self-trained dog accepted at home may not be recognised abroad. Carry your training documentation and, if you have one, your accreditation card.
Booking a hotel
A hotel's animal policy is set by the hotel and shown on its listing on trip1, so check it before you book. Where local law gives assistance dogs a right of access, that overrides a no-pets policy, but a message to the property in advance still saves a discussion at the desk.
Tell the property what you need rather than only that you have a dog. Ground floor access, a room away from the lift, or somewhere nearby to relieve the dog are all easier to arrange before you arrive.
Traveling with a service animal - FAQ
On flights to, from and within the United States, airlines require the US Department of Transportation's Service Animal Air Transportation Form, plus a second relief form on longer flights, and rabies vaccination records. Other airlines set their own requirements, so ask in writing.
Airlines flying to, from and within the United States are no longer required to treat emotional support animals as service animals, so most carry them as pets under the normal pet policy and fee. Rules outside the US vary by airline.
Yes, if the destination requires one. Animal import rules apply to service dogs the same as to pets, including microchip, rabies vaccination, health certificate and sometimes an import permit.
It depends on the country's access law and the hotel's own animal policy, which is shown on its trip1 listing. Where local law gives assistance dogs a right of access it overrides a no-pets policy, but message the property ahead anyway.
Yes on US flights, where a dog trained to perform tasks for a psychiatric disability is treated the same as any other service dog. Confirm the position separately with non-US airlines.