A petition asking the UK government to allow small pets to travel in the cabin on flights into the UK has picked up nearly 16,000 signatures, which is enough to trigger an official government response. And the response, while polite, is essentially a no.
What the petition asked for
The petition was started by Eirini Zartaloudi, who pointed out that plenty of other countries including EU nations, the US, Canada and Ireland already allow vaccinated and microchipped pets to travel in the cabin. Her argument was straightforward: the UK requiring small animals to travel in the hold is stressful for the pets and costly for owners, and bringing the rules in line with international practice would be a reasonable step forward.
Why DEFRA says the rules are not changing
DEFRA, the government department responsible for animal welfare and biosecurity, acknowledged that lots of pet owners feel this way but set out clearly why the rules are what they are. The main concern is rabies. The UK is currently rabies-free, and keeping it that way means every cat, dog and ferret coming into the country needs to be checked for the right vaccinations and documentation before they can enter. At most UK airports, that checking facility is separate from the passenger terminal, which means pets travelling as manifest cargo can be routed directly there without going through the main terminal at all. If pets were travelling in the cabin with their owners, that process gets a lot more complicated.
What DEFRA says about hold travel
DEFRA also pushed back on the idea that hold travel is automatically worse for animals, pointing out that there are strict requirements covering air quality, temperature, pressure, food, water and the size and ventilation of containers. It's not the same as chucking a suitcase in the hold.
Who can travel in the cabin now
Currently the only animals allowed in the cabin on flights into Great Britain are recognised assistance dogs, and even those are subject to limits set by individual airlines.
What this means for pet owners
So for now, if you're planning to fly your pet into the UK, the hold is still the only option for most people. It's also worth knowing that as of 22 April 2026, new EU rules came into force covering how GB residents travel to the EU with pets, so if you're heading the other way this summer it's worth checking the latest guidance on GOV.UK before you travel.
What happens next
The petition response didn't completely close the door on future changes, but reading between the lines, this isn't something the government is in a hurry to revisit.
This article is for general information only and does not constitute advice of any kind.