Pet transportation: a guide for pros

What customers ask, how to win the job, and what to put on your profile.

Offering pet transportation

Pet owners hire transport drivers who keep their animals safe, calm and on schedule. Your vehicle setup, your restraint method and your paperwork checklist are what win trust and repeat trips.

What customers ask

  • How do you keep my pet safe in the car?
  • Will you stop for water and breaks?
  • Can you take my pet to the airport?
  • What paperwork do you handle?
  • Do you have insurance for animals in transit?

How to win the job

  • On the first call, ask for the pet's size, temperament, health needs, the addresses and the trip date and time.
  • Explain your restraint method and the crate or harness you use, in plain words.
  • Plan the route and the breaks, and tell the owner the expected times.
  • Give the owner a paperwork checklist for the trip, with the items you need from them.
  • Put the trip distance, the stops, the restraint, any wait time and the paperwork in the quote.
  • Send the owner an update at pickup, at each stop and at arrival.

What to put on your profile

  • Photos of your vehicle setup and restraint method, shown with consent
  • A list of your transport services, such as vet trips, groomer trips, airport trips and long-distance moves
  • Your insurance status and the coverage you carry for animals in transit
  • Your paperwork checklist for the routes you drive
  • Your business registration and any permit that applies to your transport business

Follow-up that helps the customer

  • Offer a return trip for a pet that needs a ride home from a vet or groomer
  • Suggest a short practice ride for an anxious pet before a long trip
  • Offer a regular ride plan for a pet that needs repeated visits

Licenses and permits

Rules for moving animals for pay differ by state and country, and some places license or register commercial animal transport. Check the rules for each route, keep your business registration and insurance current, and list them on your profile.

Questions

Do I need a license to transport pets for pay?

Some places license or register commercial animal transport, and some states and countries have rules for moving animals. Check the rules for each route, and keep your insurance current.

What do I do if the pet gets sick during the trip?

Stop at a safe place, check the pet, and call the owner right away. Advise the owner to contact their veterinarian, and go to an emergency clinic if the pet needs urgent care.

Should I carry pets across state lines?

Only with the paperwork the trip needs and a clear route plan. Check the rules for each state or country, and tell the owner which records they must provide.

About this guide

This national guide is written and checked by infinibell. Rules and conditions differ by place, so local pros are credited on guides for the cities they serve, not on national ones.

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