All pets arriving at Edinburgh Airport from outside the United Kingdom (Scotland, England, Wales & Northern Ireland) will proceed to the Extrordinair reception centre. The Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre carries out DEFRA checks on pets and their paperwork, upon arrival in the UK. Airlines that are approved to transport animals in the hold to Edinburgh include Air Canada, KLM, TUI and Lufthansa. Pets travelling on inbound and outbound journeys in the hold of the plane, as well as those in transit for an onward departure, will visit the Edinburgh Airport pet facility. Your pet will be provided with water, and dogs will be exercised to allow them to stretch their legs. For Service & Assistance Dogs, or dogs flying out of the UK in the cabin, there’s no pet relief area inside Edinburgh Airport. You can leave a review to let other pet travellers know what you think if your pet has visited the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre.
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Standards & Service at the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre
Your pet will be collected by a member of the Extrordinair staff upon landing and taken to the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre. You must attach to your pet’s kennel all of the original paperwork required for your pet to travel. Be sure to have the documentation needed to take you cat, dog or ferret to Scotland.
At the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre, your pet will be in a temperature controlled, safe and highly secure environment. You can even book a pet taxi to collect your pet once checks are complete!
Facilities include:
- dog kennels
- catteries
- isolation rooms for birds and reptiles
- toilet areas
Trained Animal Welfare Officers will also ensure your pet has access to drinking water, and dogs will be exercised.
Clearing your pet to enter the UK
The prompt clearance of your pet at the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre is reliant on you sending them copies of all the required paperwork in advance. This includes photocopies of the:
- Pet Passport or Health Certificate
- Vet Record
- Instruction Forms completed for clearance
Collecting your pet from Extrordinair
Check with Extrordinair staff to find out when they think your pet will be ready for collection. At the agreed time, usually no more than 3 hours after you’ve landed, you should make your way to the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre to collect your cat, dog or other animal. The address is:
Pets on the Move
Animal Reception Centre
Glasgow Airport
Cargo Building No.1 Units 1 & 2
Campsie Drive
Paisley
Glasgow, PA3 2SW
Assistance & Service Dogs arriving at Edinburgh Airport
Only professionally trained and registered Assistance & Service Dogs can enter the UK in the cabin of a commercial flight. As Emotional Support Animals are not professionally trained, they must travel to the UK in the hold. Psychiatric Service Dogs that have been trained and certified, and that hold the necessary paperwork, can fly in the cabin with you.
If you’re flying to Edinburgh Airport with an Assistance or Service Dog in the cabin, the Pets on the Move team must receive all of the necessary paperwork in advance. Once they’re content with your paperwork and have everything required, they’ll send you confirmation.
Prior to departure, and also at check in, your airline will want to see the confirmation from Edinburgh Airport to allow your Assistance or Service Dog to fly in the cabin with you.
Upon arrival in Edinburgh, a member of the Extrordinair team will be waiting to greet you when the aircraft doors open. They’ll then scan your dog’s microchip and verify your original paperwork. Once the checks are complete, you’ll be given written verification to provide to immigration as you pass through Edinburgh Airport. You’ll only be able to pass through immigration with your Assistance or Service Dog if you have written confirmation from the Edinburgh Airport Animal Reception Centre.
Pet Relief Area at Edinburgh
Like most airports in the UK, Edinburgh doesn’t have a designated pet relief area for dogs to have a toilet break inside the terminal building. If you’re arriving at Edinburgh with a Service or Assistance Dog, your dog will be able to have a bathroom break once you leave the building. Although don’t panic if they can’t hold it, just make sure you have some poop bags and cleaning wipes!
Remember to always protect your pet against vector-borne diseases when travelling to a foreign destination, and leave a review if your pet has stayed at the Edinburgh Airport Pet Reception Centre!
