Travelling with assistance dogs

Travelling with assistance dogs

Assistance dogs are accepted for travel on board Singapore Airlines flights. With effect from 1 April 2023 (0000hrs SGT), Singapore Airlines no longer allows customers to travel with their emotional support dogs on board flights.

An assistance dog is one that is trained to carry out a task directly related to a person’s disability or medical condition. Emotional support dogs, comfort dogs, companionship dogs, and assistance dogs-in-training are not assistance dogs. Singapore Airlines may require the provision of relevant documentation or ask questions to determine if it is eligible for travel as an assistance dog.

Your assistance dog is welcome to travel with you in our aircraft cabin without additional charge—as long as it complies with specific conditions, as well as the regulations of your departure, transit, or destination country.

For a smooth journey with your assistance dog, prepare the required documentation well in advance and inform your local Singapore Airlines office at least 48 hours before your flight departs.


Due to flight safety requirements, seats in the emergency exit row are not available to you.

Flying with an assistance dog

To fly with an assistance dog, the dog must be at least 4 months old, be trained to obey commands, behave appropriately, and must not pose a direct threat to the health and safety of other customers.

During the flight
Smaller dogs may sit on your lap if it can be done so safely. Larger dogs must sit on the cabin floor in front of the passenger seat. A moisture absorbent material must also be placed on the cabin floor underneath the dog at all times.

Additionally, all dogs:

- must not occupy a seat
- must be leashed, harnessed, or kept in a pet carrier at all times
- must not obstruct the legroom of other customers
- must not block the aisle or emergency exit
- must be well-behaved. If your dog engages in disruptive behaviour, it may not be accepted as an assistance dog. Disruptive behaviours include barking or snarling, biting or attempting to bite, jumping on or lunging at strangers. 

Unless your assistance dog is of a restricted breed, a muzzle is not necessary. However, you are encouraged to have a muzzle with you.

Arrival in Singapore 
You do not need to check in a pet transport container if you are travelling with your assistance dog that is recognised by the Animal & Veterinary Service (AVS) of Singapore. On arrival in Singapore, your assistance dog will undergo a veterinary inspection. If all the veterinary conditions for import are met, and your dog is clinically healthy on arrival, it will be allowed to enter Singapore. You may find the import procedures and requirements for assistance dogs here.

Required documentation for flights to and from India and the USA

To comply with animal import regulations and protect the health and safety of all our customers, we require documentation if you are travelling with an assistance dog. An assistance dog is one trained to assist those with disabilities, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs.

You are also required to present the original documentation when checking in at the airport.

Required documentation for flights to and from India

Assistance dog
Trained to assist those with disabilities, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs.

  • No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS)
  • Import license from the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT)
  • Import and/or export permits (subject to country-specific regulations)
  • Veterinary health certificate
  • Transshipment licence, if your dog is transiting through Singapore
  • Rabies vaccination letter. A rabies certification is not required if your country/region of export falls within Category A of Singapore’s Animal & Veterinary Service’s rabies risk categorisation.
  • Proof of completion of the assistance dog training
  • Documentation of your dog's behaviour (if your assistance dog is of a restricted breed)
  • Documentation to certify that your assistance dog will not need to relieve itself on the flight, or that it can do so in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue on the flight. (if your flight duration is more than 8 hours)

Required documentation for flights to and from the USA

Assistance dog
Trained to assist those with disabilities, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs.

Required documentation for flights to and from all destinations except India and the USA

To comply with animal import regulations and protect the health and safety of all our customers, we require documentation if you are travelling with an assistance dog. An assistance dog is one trained to assist those with disabilities, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs.

You are also required to present the original documentation when checking in at the airport.

Required documentation 

Assistance dog
Trained to assist those with disabilities, such as guide dogs, hearing dogs and mobility assistance dogs.

  • Import and/or export permits (subject to country-specific regulations)
  • Transshipment licence, if your dog is transiting through Singapore
  • Veterinary health certificate
  • Rabies vaccination letter. A rabies certification is not required if your country/region of export falls within Category A of Singapore’s Animal & Veterinary Service’s rabies risk categorisation.
  • Proof of completion of the assistance dog training
  • Documentation of your dog's behaviour (if your assistance dog is of a restricted breed)
  • Documentation to certify that your assistance dog will not need to relieve itself on the flight, or that it can do so in a way that does not create a health or sanitation issue on the flight. (if your flight duration is more than 8 hours)

Restricted breeds

If your assistance dog is of a restricted breed (including crosses) listed below, we may require additional documents regarding its behavior before we can accept your dog in the cabin. You must have a suitable muzzle available and your dog must also be harnessed and leashed throughout the flight.

The restricted breeds are as follows:

  • Akita
  • Boerboel
  • Bull Terrier
  • Doberman Pinscher
  • Dogo Argentino
  • Fila Brasileiro
  • Mastiffs, including Bull Mastiff, Cane Corso, Neapolitan Mastiff, and Dogue De Bordeaux
  • Perro De Presa Canario
  • Pit Bull, including American Pit Bull Terrier, American Staffordshire Terrier, American Bulldog and Staffordshire Bull Terrier
  • Rottweiler
  • Shepherd Dog, including Belgian Shepherd Dog, East European Shepherd Dog, and German Shepherd Dog
  • Tosa
     

For more information, get in touch with your local Singapore Airlines office.

Specific destination restrictions

Due to specific destination import and export regulations, we may not be able to accept assistance dogs to travel in the cabin into or out of the destinations below. 

  • Into all destinations in New Zealand
  • Into/Out of Brunei (BWN)  
  • Into/Out of Bali (DPS)
  • Into/Out of Dubai (DXB)
  • Into/Out of Maldives (MLE)

If your destination is not listed above, please check your destination’s import regulations and ensure that you hold the necessary documents, required for travel. 

For destination-specific regulations and documents required for travelling with animals, refer to IATA Travel Centre or your destination’s embassy/consulate.