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 (holes) on all four sides.   
• If your pet is timid, you can tape or mount a burlap flap to the top of the crate that can hang in front of the door to help them feel more secure (primarily for cats).
• 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.

Water and Food Dishes

• A food and water dish (one for each) much be mounted inside of the crate. 
• 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.