Crate Requirements

Crate Requirements

• Your pet must be able to stand up, turn around, and lay comfortably in the crate. When standing, there must be at least 3 inches of space above the head. When laying, an animal should not have to curl its front legs to lie down. A guide on how to measure your pet can be found here.
• Crates must be made of hard, non-collapsible, leak proof material (no holes on bottom half of crate).  The crate must be solid and able to endure weight. 
• No wheels allowed. 
• Plastic screws, clamps, or slide locking side fasteners are not acceptable. 
• Crates must have ventilation on all 4 sides, including the back, with a minimum of 16% of the crate (including the door) being ventilated.
• There must be a lip, or spacer bar, on both sides and the back of the crate to ensure the ventilation holes are not blocked by other freight during transport.  Plastic crates typically have a lip around the crate.
• The door mesh must be metal, not plastic. Locking pins must extend at least 1.6 cm above/below the door opening. 
• No top loading/opening doors allowed.
• ALL ventilation holes must be 1” or smaller on dog crate, and ¾” or smaller on cat crates. 

Water and Food Dishes

• A food and water dish (one for each) must be securely mounted inside the crate and must remain mounted throughout the journey.  Bowls inside rings can be knocked out and should not be used.  Bowls should be strong enough to withstand pawing and chewing by pets.   
• If you purchase these items, make sure they are large enough for your animals, as most are not. 
• If possible, freeze water into the bowls the night before travel or bring ice to check in. 

Flooring & Bedding

The bottom of the crate must be lined with non-toxic absorbent bedding. We recommend lining the bottom of the crate with cardboard, such as from a broken-down box, then placing a blanket or towel on top of the cardboard.