GUIDE: Pet Travel Requirements in the Philippines for 2024

(SPOT.ph) We might be a country that loves our pets but we haven't made traveling with them easy, especially on public transportation. Without a car, bringing them along is next to impossible.

Most forms of public transportation has strict rules about pets (Read: Not Allowed), so it's best to be informed. You’ll need a few documents and certifications to prove your pet is qualified for travel, especially if you’re hopping from one mode of transportation to another.

Whether you’re headed to the mountains, the beach, or the province, here’s what you need to know about pet travel requirements for domestic trips in the Philippines.

Pet travel requirements for domestic travel in the Philippines

By jeepney, UV express, and bus

Everything you need to know about pets in public utility vehicles can be found in the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board's (LTFRB) Memorandum Circular No. 2020-003. To ride jeepneys and UV expresses, small to medium-sized pets must be in a diaper and put in a cage or carrier. Note that they must be odor-free for the sake of the other passengers. 

The rules, however, are not that simple for provincial buses with longer travel times. Only select bus liners allow pets on board.

The Parañaque Integrated Terminal Exchange welcomes pets of any kind in their terminal. The only requirement is to show the pet's complete vaccination records at the PITX entrance to ensure the safety of everyone else in the terminal.

As for actually boarding pets on the buses, this is out of PITX’s control. Passengers are instructed to coordinate with bus operators before the trip to ask if pets are allowed to travel with them. Some bus lines will insist on placing the pet inside the baggage compartment. We suggest you don't say yes to this. Not only does it violate LTFRB MC 2020-003 but this could be “detrimental to the welfare of pets.”

Below are some bus liners that allow pets on board:

For Victory Liner, look for buses with the “pet-friendly sticker.” This bus line will only allow pets to ride on selected trip schedules, which can be found on its Facebook page.

Partas Liner will ask each and every passenger on board if they are fine to ride with a dog. You will be asked to take the next bus if even one passenger says no. The process is repeated until everyone is okay with having a pet on board.

They also require the following:

• Permit to travel from the Bureau of Animal Industry
• Updated vaccine record showing the latest rabies shot
• Pet should be three months old and above
• Must have a water bottle
• Must have eaten six hours before travel
• Must have taken a potty before the bus ride

Others are more straightforward: Genesis Transport Service and DLTB follow LTFRB’s Memorandum Circular No. 2020-003, Bicol Isarog Transport System accepts pets that weigh up to 26 kilograms to board selected routes, Superlines Transportation Co. allows pets to be placed in the baggage compartment “at your own risk.”

In addition, some buses will charge pets as they would one adult passenger with an allotted seat, while others will allow pets to ride for free as long as they are seated on the passenger’s lap. It is best to check the terms and conditions for each liner before scheduling the trip.

Also read: PSA: You Can Bring Your Pets With You on Your Next PITX Trip

By train

Only small dogs and cats are allowed to ride the LRT-2 and MRT-3 trains, and only if they are in a diaper and enclosed in a carrier or cage not exceeding two feet by two feet in size. Pet strollers are prohibited.

Pets are also subject to inspection prior to boarding, so make sure to bring their vaccination card just in case security asks. If a pet is considered unruly, aggressive, in pain, or poses a threat to other passengers’ safety, they will not be allowed to enter the LRT-2 and MRT-3.

Most importantly, passengers with pets are only allowed to board the end coach of the train, with the carrier or cage placed at the feet or on the lap—not on seats meant for actual passengers.

LRT-1 is eyeing to implement this same pet-friendly policy in the future, but there's no official word on this yet. On the other hand, the Philippine National Railways (PNR) does not allow pets of any kind.

By ship

More and more land trips are making use of roll-on/roll-off (RORO) ships.

The Philippine Ports Authority makes it simple enough to board pets on ships.

Those who are heading home to the province via docks will only have to obtain a shipping permit at the Bureau of Animal Industry – National Quarantine Services website. You will have to register as either a regular shipper or a one-time shipper before you can get access to the form. Take note that the shipping permit will only be valid for seven days upon registration.

You will also be asked to bring a veterinary health certificate issued by a veterinarian.

All animals, except for endangered species, can also travel with 2GO's ferry services as long as they have the necessary documents for both accompanied and unaccompanied shipments. Dogs and cats of any breed are welcome on board, but you’ll need to provide a veterinary health certificate, shipping permit/local transport permit, and signed waiver form.

Meanwhile, the Pasig River Ferry also allows pets to hop on board without much restrictions. The only rule is to have them enclosed in a carrier or cage—no vaccination cards, diapers, and other rules necessary. Any pet is welcome as long as they won’t pose a threat to other passengers on the ferry.

By airplane

You can opt for either Cebu Pacific or Philippine Airlines to travel with a pet. Unfortunately, they will not be allowed to fly in the cabin with you unless they are a certified service or emotional support animal on flights to and from the United States. In most cases, pets will be charged as excess baggage to be put in the aircraft cargo. 

Come prepared by securing the pet in a hard case and leak-proof container. You will also need to have vaccination certificates and entry/exit permits from the Philippine Bureau of Animal Industry. This should be issued no more than 10 days prior to travel.

Once everything is settled, the last thing you will need to do is to contact the airline at least 48 hours before your scheduled flight to inform them of the arrangement. This is because not all aircraft cargo is safe for pets to be stored in. Cebu Pacific also requires pets to be checked in at the cargo terminal at least two hours before the departure time.

Take note that snub-nosed breeds like bulldogs, pugs, and even shih tzus are discouraged or even prohibited from traveling by plane since they are at increased risk of heat stroke and are prone to breathing problems.

By Grab

Grab has relaunched its GrabPet feature, which is a GrabCar service where passengers can bring pets—including larger breeds—inside six-seater vehicles. 

This feature is only available in selected locations like Makati City, Bonifacio Global City, Shaw-Ortigas, Pasay Mall of Asia, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, Malate, Ermita, and San Juan.

Only one to two small pets or one large pet are allowed inside the vehicle, with a maximum of four passengers for every GrabPet ride. The only requirement is to have your pet in a crate/carrier and in a diaper. All pets must be accompanied by human passengers.

For the rest of the locations, Grab leaves it up to the driver to decide whether or not to accept the request to ride an animal, as some of them could be allergic to or otherwise uncomfortable with unfamiliar animals. 

Should the Grab driver accept, keep in mind the following:

• One pet counts as one passenger.
• Pet should be inside a carrier or protected on a leash.
• Prepare newspapers or plastic sheets to line the chairs or the floor in case the pet makes a mess.