AC Live
Temperature policy
Most Pets Cannot Travel During Periods of Extreme Heat!
For their safety and comfort, warm-blooded animals cannot be transported during periods of extreme heat.
- 1 - Air Canada Cargo does not accept warm-blooded animals for transport when the outside ground temperature is 29.5°C or higher at any location in the routing.
If the temperature is 29.5°C or higher at the departure city, the destination, or any point in between on a route with connections, animals will not be accepted and will therefore be rebooked for the next available flight(s).
What You Can Do to Help Your Animal: Before bringing an animal to Air Canada Cargo for their flight, please verify the forecasted temperature range at the departure city, the destination, and if applicable, transit points in between.
If you are not sure whether your animal can travel due to extreme heat or any other weather extremes, please contact the Air Canada Cargo station the animal is departing from.
- 2 - United States: Restrictions for Shipping Animals from May 15 to September 30
Due to extreme heat and USDA regulations, the transport of live animals is prohibited or strictly regulated to and from airports in the following cities: Atlanta (ATL), Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW), Fort Lauderdale (FLL), Houston (IAH) Las Vegas (LAS), Miami (MIA), Orlando (MCO) and Phoenix International (PHX).
Exception: Day old chicks, cold blooded animals, provided they are tendered in containers that adhere to the current IATA Live Animal Container requirements.
- 3 - June 20 to September 10
Air Canada does not accept any live animals as checked baggage from June 20 to September 10 on all flights. Your animal will have to fly as cargo.
If you are travelling with a pet during this time, please refer to the information below.
Even if you are a passenger on the same flight as your animal flying as cargo, your animal must be brought to and retrieved from one of our cargo facilities. These facilities are located close to the airport. Make sure to verify the address of the cargo facility at your origin and destination city before you leave for the airport.
Allow at least one hour for tendering your animal before you check in for your own flight at the airport, and another hour to retrieve your animal at destination.
Connecting Flights on Air Canada
If there are Air Canada connections on your itinerary, a cargo booking for your animal will ensure that the animal will follow the same itinerary as you.
Connecting on Other Airlines
If you have connections on other airlines, we recommend you book your pet as cargo on all legs of the flight. This way, you will not have to retrieve your animal at the point of connection; it will be transferred as cargo to the other airline. You can retrieve your pet once at your destination from the local cargo facility.
If you choose to check your pet as baggage on another airline, you must retrieve your animal from the Air Canada Cargo facility at the end of its journey on Air Canada, before checking in for your next flight. If you have any question, please contact your local Air Canada Cargo office.
Please visit our AC Live page for more information.