Pets and other animals flown as manifest cargo through Heathrow are processed by the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC), a dedicated border control post that has served the airport since 1977. Ordinary pets travelling in the cabin or hold with their owner on a standard passenger booking do not go through HARC; that route is handled by your airline under the Pet Travel Scheme. Checked 2026.
What the Animal Reception Centre does
HARC is run by the City of London Corporation and is licensed to handle every animal species passing through Heathrow, from dogs and cats to horses, reptiles, birds and fish. According to the City of London's own figures, it looks after around 22,000 dogs and cats, 400 horses, 100,000 reptiles, 1,000 birds and 28 million fish every year. Its responsibilities include transporting animals between the aircraft and its own facility, checking non-commercial Pet Travel Scheme arrivals for compliance, verifying that animal shipments meet International Air Transport Association packing requirements, and enforcing UK and EU animal movement regulations.
This is separate from ordinary pet travel where your dog or cat flies with you as a passenger. HARC deals specifically with animals booked as manifest cargo, which is typically the route used for pet relocation, breeding animals, and imports that are not travelling directly with their owner on the same flight.
Importing a dog, cat or ferret via Heathrow
If you are importing a pet as cargo through Heathrow rather than travelling with it as an accompanied passenger, HARC recommends using an IPATA-registered pet shipper, who organises the flight booking, a suitable travel container, airline check-in and a UK clearing agent on your behalf. Even if you arrange transport yourself rather than using a shipper, you will still need to appoint a UK customs agent to handle clearance. Your pet must travel as manifest cargo in the aircraft hold on an approved airline, and your transport agent should give you HARC's pet information sheet to complete for each animal.
The Pet Travel Scheme (PETS)
Whether your pet travels as cargo via HARC or accompanies you as a passenger, the same underlying Pet Travel Scheme rules apply for entering or re-entering Great Britain without quarantine: dogs, cats and ferrets need an ISO-compliant microchip fitted before a rabies vaccination, given at least 21 days before travel, plus documentation such as an animal health certificate or pet passport and, for arrivals from certain countries, tapeworm treatment. HARC's own guidance points owners to the official GOV.UK pet travel pages for the country-specific detail, since requirements vary depending on where the animal is travelling from.
Non-commercial movement criteria
For a pet import to count as "non-commercial" under PETS rather than needing full commercial import checks, the owner or a designated person must travel within five days of the pet, the consignment must be no more than five animals, and a signed non-commercial entry declaration is required. Depending on your circumstances you may also need to apply for Transfer of Residency relief if you are relocating to the UK with pets and other belongings.
Assistance dogs
Assistance dogs accompanying their owner as a passenger, rather than travelling as cargo through HARC, are handled under separate guidance from Heathrow's own passenger assistance team rather than the Animal Reception Centre. If you are travelling with a guide, hearing or other assistance dog, tell your airline when you book so they can confirm the requirements for your specific route. See Heathrow special assistance: how and when to book for the wider process of booking help at the airport.
Ordinary pet travel through Heathrow
If your pet is simply flying with you on a standard passenger booking rather than as a commercial or relocation shipment, the process runs through your airline rather than HARC. You still need to meet the same underlying Pet Travel Scheme requirements described above, and your airline will confirm whether your pet can travel in the cabin or must go in the hold, along with any container and fee requirements specific to that airline. Policies vary considerably between airlines and routes, so confirm directly with your airline well before booking rather than assuming your pet can travel on a given flight.
Why HARC exists as a separate facility
Heathrow is one of Europe's busiest hubs for live animal movement, and HARC is one of only four Border Control Posts in Europe authorised to handle all live animal species, and the only one in the UK certified under the International Air Transport Association's Certificate of Excellence for Independent Validators Live Animals programme. That scale is why HARC operates as a dedicated facility separate from the passenger terminals, with its own transport between the aircraft and its site, rather than processing animal cargo through the same channels as passenger baggage.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Heathrow Animal Reception Centre? A dedicated border control post at Heathrow, run by the City of London Corporation, that handles live animal imports and exports travelling as manifest cargo, including pets, horses, reptiles, birds and fish.
Does my pet go through the Animal Reception Centre if it flies with me in the cabin or hold? No. Ordinary accompanied pet travel is handled by your airline under standard Pet Travel Scheme rules. HARC specifically processes animals booked as manifest cargo.
Do I need a pet shipper to import an animal via Heathrow? It is recommended, since an IPATA-registered shipper organises the flight, container, check-in and clearing agent. You can arrange it yourself, but you will still need to appoint a UK customs agent.
How long before travel does my pet need its rabies vaccination for the Pet Travel Scheme? At least 21 days before travel, given after the microchip is fitted, not before.
What counts as a non-commercial pet movement? The owner or a designated person must travel within five days of the pet, no more than five animals in the consignment, and a signed non-commercial declaration.
Is assistance dog travel handled by the Animal Reception Centre? No, assistance dogs travelling with their owner as a passenger are handled through Heathrow's passenger assistance arrangements, not HARC.
More: Overview, Facilities, FAQs, Special assistance.