Live animal transport is a complex, high-touch process involving everyone from the shipper to freight forwarders to airline staff, including the handlers. Inappropriate container use or misunderstanding carrier or government regulations can have catastrophic consequences.

The LAR has all the information you need to make sure your live animal shipments are handled and transported in the most expedient and humane manner and at their destination in good health, whether it’s a pet, day-old chicks, racehorses or something a little more exotic. 

What’s inside the LAR?

The LAR covers animal transport of all kinds and contains comprehensive information about the requirements for protected and endangered species as lab animals, livestock and domestic animals.

  • Applicability (shipper and carrier responsibilities, training, combating illegal trade)
  • Government regulations (general and variations by country)
  • Carrier regulations (general, variations by carrier, airline contact information and AVI services)
  • Reservations and advance arrangements (schedules, routing, interline advance, delivery, accompanying persons)
  • Animal behaviour (general, disturbance, segregation, sedation, euthanasia, in-flight environment)
  • Listing, description and species size (taxonomy, alphabetical list, description and size)
  • Documentation (shipper’s certification, waybill, captain notification, CITES documents, other documents, live animal acceptance checklist)
  • Container requirements (general, stocking density, marking, labeling)
  • Handling (animal acceptance, ground handling, loading, feeding and watering, captain’s advice, health and hygiene, OIE recommendations)
  • CITES (general, documentation, list of states, management authorities by country, Article XI, combating illegal trade)
  • Life science logistics for lab animals (health status, animal type and number, species, and container considerations)

Still not sure if the LAR is for you? Download the full table of contents.

Stay up-to-date

Significant Changes and Amendments to the 53rd edition (2027) of the IATA Live Animals Regulations (LAR) include:

General Updates

  • Updated references to current IATA training programs.
  • Revised LAPB and LAWG membership details.
  • Added Excess Baggage Live Animal Acceptance Checklist reference, where applicable.

State & Operator Variations

  • State Variations updated: Israel (ILG), New Zealand (NZG), Switzerland (CHG).
  • Operator Variations updated: British Airways (BA), China Southern (CZ), Aer Lingus (EI), Emirates (EK), flydubai (FZ), Iberia (IB), Iberia Express (I2), Swiss (LX), Air New Zealand (NZ), Aircalin (SB), Turkish Airlines (TK), SriLankan Airlines (UL).

Live Animal Transport

  • SPF laboratory animals added to species listings.
  • Additional guidance provided on of example checklists..
  • Updates to container requirements, including dimensions for snub-nosed breeds, ventilation standards, labeling, and design requirements for insects, bees, and other beneficial species.
  • Standardized terminology across container requirements and removed imperial measurements.

Handling & Compliance

  • Clarified use of the “This Way Up” label.
  • Updated aircraft cargo compartment cleaning and disinfection procedures.
  • Added Pre-Loading Advance Cargo Information (PLACI) requirements.

Glossary & Regulatory Consistency

  • Multiple glossary updates, including new and revised definitions.
  • Addition of AVZ special handling codes for live seafood intended for human consumption
  • Ongoing transition from “shall” to “must” and from imperial to metric measurements.