Travel Info

Service and specialty animals

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WestJet allows service and specialty animals in the cabin of the aircraft, free of charge, when on duty. Please note that the policies for the acceptance of service and specialty animals of our partner airlines may be different from ours.

Service animals

Service animals are defined as dogs required for assistance to a person with a cognitive or physical disability.

If you feel your service animal requires additional floor space to ensure its comfort and safety on board, please be prepared to provide your dog's weight, length, height and width so we can accommodate your animal. We will determine seating needs based on the size of your animal as defined in the Canadian Transportation Agency's Code of Practice and their Implementation Guide Regarding Space for Service Dogs Onboard Large Aircraft.

A Registered Certificate Identification card, other written documentation and the presence of harnesses or tags will be accepted as proof that the dog is a service animal.

For flights departing to and from the U.S. WestJet follows the U.S. Department of Transportation guideline for Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability in Air Travel and will also accept the credible verbal assurance of the qualified individual with a disability using the dog on WestJet aircraft.

WestJet will accept dogs in training to become service animals, provided the following conditions are met:

  • The animal must be a minimum of eight weeks of age.
  • The trainer should carry a letter from the assistance animal organization stating that they are a certified handler of the animal.
  • The animal must wear their training vest at all times while on board the aircraft.

Specialty animals

Specialty animals are defined as dogs that are not providing a service to a person with a disability, but are trained to perform professional functions. Some examples of a specialty animal include search and rescue dogs and avalanche rescue dogs. A certificate may be required. Please note that specialty animals are subject to all quarantine restrictions applicable to pets travelling in the cabin.

A Registered Certificate Identification card, other written documentation, the presence of harnesses or tags will be accepted as proof that the dog is a specialty animal.

Booking your flight

If you are travelling with a service or specialty dog, please notify WestJet a minimum of 48 hours prior to your flight's departure to allow adequate time to assign seating on the aircraft.

For guests travelling as part of a WestJet Vacations package booking, please contact us a minimum of seven days prior to departure. This will allow adequate time to assign seating on the aircraft, and to arrange suitable accommodations, transfers, car rentals or other services.

Entrance requirements