Planning international travel with your pet can feel overwhelming. Between veterinary paperwork, airline requirements, travel crates, and destination country regulations, there are a lot of moving parts involved in relocating a pet safely.
For many pet parents, the biggest challenge isn’t the paperwork itself — it’s simply understanding how the entire process works and what their pet will actually experience along the way.
To help answer the most common questions, Starwood Pet Travel is hosting two live Q&A sessions this month where our team will walk through the international pet travel process and answer questions in real time.
Whether you're planning a move abroad or just starting to research your options, this is a great opportunity to hear directly from experts who coordinate pet relocations every day.
We’ll be hosting two live sessions so more pet parents can join the conversation.
📅 Live Q&A Dates
• March 17 — 12:00 PM ET
• March 24 — 12:00 PM ET
📍 Where: Streaming live across all Starwood social platforms
✔ No registration required
You can simply tune in on your preferred platform and ask questions live in the comments.
👉 Add the event to your calendar here.
International pet travel has become more complex over the past several years. Different countries have different health certificate requirements, airlines operate under different cargo policies, and documentation timelines must be followed very carefully.
Many families moving internationally worry about questions like:
These are exactly the types of questions our team answers every day. During the live sessions, we’ll break down the process step-by-step so pet parents understand what happens before travel, during travel, and upon arrival.
Our goal is to answer the questions that matter most to families preparing for international moves.
During the sessions, we’ll cover topics such as:
One of the biggest concerns pet parents have is what their dog or cat actually experiences during the journey. We’ll walk through how pets move through the airport, how airline cargo areas operate, and what safeguards airlines have in place.
International pet travel requires official veterinary documentation. We’ll explain how health certificates work, how USDA endorsements are completed, and what the typical timeline looks like.
Airlines have specific crate size and safety requirements for pets traveling in cargo. We’ll explain how to properly size a travel crate and why crate training is so important before travel.
Many people assume cargo is unsafe for pets, but in reality airlines have strict policies and procedures designed specifically for live animal transport. We’ll explain how airlines handle pets during international flights.
A common question is whether pets can be sedated during travel. In most cases, airlines prohibit sedatives because they can interfere with breathing at altitude. We’ll explain safer alternatives and how to help pets stay comfortable.
Families traveling with larger dogs often have additional questions around aircraft types, kennel sizing, and airline limitations. We’ll discuss how larger pets are accommodated during international relocations.
Pet relocation costs can vary depending on the destination country, airline routes, quarantine requirements, and veterinary documentation. We’ll explain the main factors that influence pricing.
If you already have questions about pet travel, you don’t have to wait until the livestream.
We’re currently collecting questions through our Reddit AMA (Ask Me Anything) discussion, where our team is answering pet travel questions throughout the month.
You can:
👉 Join the Reddit discussion here.
This discussion will remain active throughout the month as we gather questions for the upcoming Q&A sessions.
Two members of the Starwood Pet Travel team will be hosting the sessions and answering questions.
VP of Strategic Initiatives
Adam has extensive experience coordinating international pet relocations and helping families navigate complex travel logistics.
Pet Travel Coordinator
Sage works directly with pet parents to manage relocation timelines, documentation, and travel arrangements for international moves.
Together they’ll provide real-world insights from coordinating thousands of successful pet relocations.
We’ll also be giving away prizes during the livestream to make the event even more fun.
Prizes include:
• Starwood branded gear
• $25 Amazon gift card
• $200 off a Starwood pet relocation service
Winners will be selected from live viewers during the session, so be sure to join us in real time.
We’ll be streaming simultaneously across all Starwood social platforms, so you can join wherever you already follow us.
Watch live on:
If you’re planning an international move with your pet — or simply want to understand how the process works — we’d love to answer your questions. We look forward to seeing you there!