FAQ’s

In short - yes. Lower weight and height limits are more common on short haul flights, however long haul flights will also have restrictions. Some destinations will have a lower limit due to the size of the aircraft on that route whereas big crates may reach the weight restriction due to health & safety regulations for the airline’s handlers. In most cases, these heavy crates can be loaded in a different manner.

Yes, you can. As long as the pets belong to the same family, we can send them on the same flight as long as it meets the airline's conditions (some airlines impose a maximum number of pets on any one flight).

Most airlines have booking windows, which open a certain amount of time prior to the departure date. You can still appoint TailWings as your international pet travel agent before this date to arrange crates and certification.

Indeed, a number of flight restrictions have been imposed upon pets entering and leaving the UK from and to the EU. Pets now need customs clearances on the way in and out as well as a slight change in documentation needed. The health requirements remain the same. TailWings is positioned to assist with pet travel requirements as we have our own in-house customs brokerage that is capable at clearing both airports and seaports/RoRo ports.

A ToR is an import VAT relief scheme. We suggest following this link to see if you are eligible several weeks in advance: Application for transfer of residence relief (ToR1) - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

Once they land, they will be collected from the aircraft and taken to the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre. They will be released into their own kennel and given food and water. This is where they board until all the necessary paperwork checks and customs clearance is completed, and needs adding in. If you are collecting your pets yourself, this is also where you will collect them from.

It can sometimes take up to 6-8 hours for the paperwork checks to be completed. We suggest arriving at the HARC 5-6 hours after the flight lands. Your Pet Import Specialist will notify you when the paperwork has been checked and when the clearance has been completed. At this point, you can collect your furry family members.

Your Pet Relocation Specialist will be able to tell you the health requirements necessary.

As part of pet travel requirements, it is mandatory for all dogs relocating to the UK to have their microchips re-registered shortly after they arrive. It is recommended that cats do too – and we are authorised to do this for you. We can help alleviate the burden of this task on you during your stressful relocation and we are the only pet shipper to be approved by one of these databases to submit those details on your behalf! We believe this to be a crucial addition to the comprehensive international pet travel services we currently provide you, our pet families. With this addition, you can be sure we are offering you the complete package.

To help all our pet families keep their dogs and cats safe we offer:

• Registration on the same day of arrival -compared with up to 28 days with other database providers
• Proof of registration emailed by end of the next working day
• Confidential and fast service - secure online form

This service is of course also open to all, pet owners, pet shippers and airlines should you wish to refer them directly to us. Whether we perform the import clearance or not, this service is also available from all ports of entry into the UK.

To find out more about microchip registration click here, and if you would like to take advantage of this new service then please fill out the form below, printer friendly version can be found here

You can pay over the phone, via our secure online form or by bank transfer.

Your pets will need to have something absorbent in their crate and some comfy vet bedding. They are not allowed toys etc as these can be seen as a choking hazard. Leads and collars should be attached to the outside of their crates.