With the recent updates made to the U.S. Department of Transportation’s (DOT) rules on carriage of service animals, Qatar Airways has revised its policy on the carriage of animals in passenger cabin. With effect from 11 January 2021, Qatar Airways will only accept service animal (SVAN) on board QR operated flights on regulated routes to assist passengers with a disability, with a maximum of 2 dogs per passenger.

The DoT’s new rule defines a service animal as a dog that is individually trained to do work or perform tasks for the benefit of a qualified individual with a disability.

Travellers are responsible for ensuring they have the health documentation and other certifications required by the departure and destination country. Additionally for travel to/from/via USA, travellers are required to complete the hardcopy or electronic version of DOT’s “U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Air Transportation Form” as well as U.S. Department of Transportation Service Animal Relief Attestation” as a condition of transportation (for flights over 8 hours). 

All other categories of animals will be permitted to be transported within the aircraft hold (AVI) in accordance with the documented policy followed for ancillary services with the collection of regular applicable charges. 

Qatar Airways will honor the carriage of animals for its customers that have confirmed services booked on/before 07 January 2021. 

Service dogs or psychiatric service dogs can travel free of charge in the cabin only on Qatar Airways flights to or from the USA , Europe, Switzerland, Norway, and Georgia.

On all other flights, service dogs or psychiatric service dogs may travel free of charge as checked baggage.

If the passenger plans to travel with a service or psychiatric service dog, you must:

• Notify Qatar Airways at least 48 hours before departure
• Check-in for the flight at least 2 hours (3 hours for flights from the US) prior to departure
• Passenger to provide evidence at the time of reservation or at the time of check-in at the airport that the accompanying dog will not need to relieve itself during the flight or that he/she can adequately manage the dog’s waste without creating any health and sanitation issue on the flight.
• He/she must bring whatever absorbent or other material required for this purpose. We encourage you to prepare the dog for the flight by exercising the dog and limiting its fluid intake before the flight.
• We recommend the use of a safety harness for the dog for use during take-off, landing, or whenever the “fasten seat belt” sign is illuminated.
• If passenger is accompanied by an psychiatric service dog then in addition to the above requirements, you need to provide certification from a licensed mental health professional. The certificate must be on that professional’s letterhead, signed and not older than one year from the date of the scheduled flight.
• If the service dog cannot be accommodated at the passenger’s seat location then we will offer another seat if available on the aircraft. The service dog, however, cannot be seated where it may obstruct aisle or emergency exit area or affect leg space in front of passenger sitting next to him/her.

**Note- Not all countries allow service animals to arrive in the passenger cabin of the aircraft.

Please contact our call center to verify any limitations that may exist for the countries in your itinerary.

Please ensure to carry all the documents/certificates of your dog as required by the local law of the foreign country, you may contact Qatar Airways office for details.

It is recommended that you carry along with you the proof that the dog is a service dog, the proof can be in the form of identification card, other written documentation, presence of harnesses and tags.

Please bring with you sufficient absorbent or other material for the dog that may relieve itself on the flight, this is to prevent any health or sanitation risk on the flight due to the dogs waste.

If you are travelling with a service dog, please contact your local Qatar Airways office.

For the safety of the animal, Qatar Airways does not accept certain breeds of domestic dogs and cats that cannot maintain a normal body temperature and are therefore susceptible to an increased risk of heat stroke. These include:

• Cats: Exotic, Persian, Shirazi
• Dogs: (mainly pure breeds of snub nosed dogs) Affenpinscher, American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Bull Terrier, Bichon Frise, Boston Terrier, Boxer, Brussels, Bull dog (all breeds), Bull Mastiff (English Mastiff), Cane Corso, Chow Chow, Dogo Argentino, Dogue de Bordeaux (French Mastiff), English Mastiff, French Terrier, Greyhound dogs with the exception of pets (No more than two greyhound dogs can be booked as pets), Griffon, •Japanese Chin, King Charles Spaniel, Neapolitan mastiff, Pekingese, Pitbull Terrier, Presa Canario,  Pug (all breeds), Shar Pei, Shih Tzu, Stafforshire Bull Terrier, Valley Terrier, 
• Note: For the carriage of cats and dogs, we recommend that you obtain a veterinary certificate certifying that the animal does not fall in any of the above categories.
• We also will not accept:
• Primates that are being carried for research purposes
• Animals younger than eight (8) weeks
• Fragile / weak animals
• Female animals with suckling young – carriage will only be permitted on the basis of a veterinary certificate stating that both mother and young are fit to travel
• Cats or dogs which are more than six (6) weeks pregnant - carriage will only be accepted if a veterinary certificate certifies that the animal is fit to travel and there is no risk of birth during the journey
• Rodents such as mice, rats, marmots, and rabbits are not allowed as excess baggage. Such animals must be transported as cargo.

For the safety and comfort of the animal, we recommend transporting your pet as cargo during the hotter months (May-October).

Harmless, domesticated dogs, cats, and birds can be transported as excess baggage if customers wish to travel on the same flight.

All other animals and livestock must be transported as cargo. For further details on carriage of livestock, tropical fish, small mammals, and birds, contact your nearest Qatar Airways Cargo office or visit qrcargo.com.

For pets travelling as excess baggage, you will be charged normal excess baggage rates regardless of whether or not your free checked baggage allowance has been utilized. Charges are per crate with a maximum weight (animal + crate) of 32kg.

To send your pet as cargo, please contact Qatar Airways Cargo at qrcargo.com for rates and additional information.

The container must have ventilation openings, must also be of an adequate size, suitable design and of sufficient strength to prevent escape. For the animal’s wellbeing Qatar Airways reserves the right to refuse carriage for any animal if the container is too small.

You must supply food and water for the animal in the travelling container or kennel.

Passenger is responsible for providing enough food and water for their animal’s journey. However, if the journey includes a transit in Doha, our ground services team will care for your animal by providing food and fresh water.

Passenger will not be able to access his/her pet during the journey. However, during transfer in Doha our ground staff will make sure that:

• Animals are allowed out of their kennels to walk and stretch
• Animals are observed for signs of sickness and stress
• Kennels are cleaned
• Dogs are walked
• Animals are provided a larger, more comfortable kennel during transit
• Food (if not provided by owner) is provided every 3-4 hours and only up to 2 hours before departure
• Water is changed every hour

• Interline acceptance of AVIH on QR is not permitted, in case of transfer from OAL to QR. However while transferring them from QR to OAL, interline carriage is permitted, provided onward carrier`s regulations are adhered to.

For interline Carriage of AVIH:

• Specific rules of the Operating Airline apply for special types of baggage such as live animals  (AVIH), and there may be aditional rules of restrictions imposed by the local regulations or the aircraft types in use by them.
• AVIH for interline carriage will only be permitted if the continuing carrier (YY) has confirmed acceptance and within the permissible minimum connecting time (MCT).
• it is imperative that the customer is advised in advance that all arrangements with the onward carrier must be done by the customer themselves and that QR will only be responsible for acceptance on its flights.

Acceptance of AVIH is as follows:

- QR to OAL = Yes permitted, Provided all arrangements for the onward YY carrier is done by the customer themselves.

- OAL to QR = not permitted.

Note: At the time of check-in, the customer must produce a Service confirmation that the OAL will accept the AVI as booked. Non-compliance to the above requirement may result in the customer not being accepted on a QR flight(s).

• When a request is received from a passenger for the carriage of an animal as AVIH, full details of the type of animal and weight and the size of the container must be recorded in the reservations record (PNR).
• AVIH must be pre-booked with QR local office. Request for the animal to travel must be sent by SSR AVIH format.