Heathrow provides dedicated animal relief areas with hard and soft surfaces in all four terminals, plus separate assistance animal support points for passengers travelling with a guide, hearing or other assistance dog. The relief areas are free to use and open for all flights, but you need to bring your own pet waste bags, since these are not provided on-site.
Animal relief areas by terminal
These are for pets and service animals that need a toilet break before or after a flight, separate from the formal Animal Reception Centre used for animals travelling as cargo.
Terminal 2
After security departures: Terminal 2A, Level -2, outside the lifts on the right-hand side, near the walkway to B gates.
Terminal 3, 4 and 5
Heathrow operates relief facilities across all terminals using the same hard-and-soft-surface format. Locations are signposted airside; ask any purple-uniformed Heathrow colleague or check the Heathrow app's terminal map on the day, since exact positions can shift with terminal works.
What's provided
- Hard and soft ground surfaces for the animal to use
- Bins for waste disposal
What to bring
- Your own pet waste bags. Heathrow does not supply these.
Assistance animal support points by terminal
If you are travelling with an assistance dog, such as a guide or hearing dog, Heathrow has a dedicated Assistance team and marked support areas in each terminal, separate from the general relief facilities above.
| Terminal | Before security (departures) | Arrivals (public area) |
|---|---|---|
| Terminal 2 | Level 5, behind Zone A | By additional seating, opposite international arrivals, near the help point |
| Terminal 3 | Level 1, above check-in zones A and B | Opposite international arrivals, same side as M&S Simply Food |
| Terminal 4 | Check-in Zone B, next to Excess Baggage | Opposite international arrivals, on the route to the London Underground |
| Terminal 5 | Check-in Zone E | By the orange lifts |
How to arrange assistance animal support
- Tell your airline about your assistance dog when you book, or at least 48 hours before you travel.
- Your airline passes your details to Heathrow's dedicated Assistance team.
- At the airport, make your way to the Assistance area for your terminal (see the table above) and the team will confirm your documentation and guide you through.
- If you are arriving at or connecting through Heathrow, a member of the Assistance team will meet you at the aircraft.
If your pet is entering or leaving the UK, not just using a relief area
Animals travelling as cargo, or under the Pet Travel Scheme, go through Heathrow's Animal Reception Centre, which is a separate, formal process requiring approval at least 72 hours before your flight. This is different from the relief areas covered here, which are for animals already travelling with a passenger through the terminal. Contact the Animal Reception Centre directly on +44 (0)20 8745 7894/5 for import or export queries.
Practical tips
- Use the relief area before you go through security, if your schedule allows, since re-entering airside after leaving can mean going through security again.
- Bring your own waste bags every time; do not assume they will be available.
- If you are flying with an assistance dog for the first time, notify your airline as early as possible rather than at check-in, so the Assistance team has time to prepare.
Checked 2026 against Heathrow's official guidance on travelling with animals.