Ryanair does not carry animals. Not in the cabin, not as checked baggage, not as cargo. The only exception is guide and assistance dogs on certain routes. That is worth stating plainly, because the question I am asked most often is which Ryanair fare allows a pet, and the honest answer is that none of them do. Pixel has never boarded one.

Ryanair does not carry dogs or cats — not in the cabin, and not in the hold. There are no weight limits, fees or crate specifications to compare, because there is no pet service to book. This page shows the airline's own wording below, so you can stop checking and start looking at carriers that do fly pets on the route.

How Ryanair handles your pet

Guide and assistance dogs are accepted on Ryanair's intra-EU/EEA and domestic flights, but not on flights to or from Morocco or Israel.

Each fact comes straight from the operator’s published policy. Tap the to read the exact wording; the opens the source page.

In the cabin Not accepted
In the hold / cargo Not accepted

Cabin policy

Pets accepted Not acceptedverified 2026-09-16

Hold & cargo policy

Hold: Pets accepted Not acceptedverified 2026-09-16
Cargo: Pets accepted Not acceptedverified 2026-09-16

Service & assistance animals

Esa noteRyanair does not accept emotional support or therapy dogs. Only guide/assistance dogs trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, and certified by a full member of Assistance Dogs International (ADI), Assistance Dogs UK or the International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF), may travel.verified 2026-09-16
Fee waived Yesverified 2026-09-16
Recognized Yesverified 2026-09-16
Cabin allowed Yesverified 2026-09-16
Esa recognized Noverified 2026-09-16
Documentation requiredA valid pet passport, or a third-country official veterinary health certificate, plus documentation confirming the dog is affiliated to a recognised assistance-dog organisation.verified 2026-09-16
Recognized organizations
  • Assistance Dogs International (ADI)
  • Assistance Dogs UK
  • International Guide Dog Federation (IGDF)
verified 2026-09-16
If Ryanair is on your route, the animal does not travel on that leg. The practical move is to price a different carrier for the sector carrying your pet and keep Ryanair for the legs you fly alone. Build your plan around the airline that will actually take the animal, and check the assistance-dog exception directly if that is the category you fall into.
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Glossary

ISO chip
ISO 11784/11785 — the universal microchip standard.
FAVN
Fluorescent Antibody Virus Neutralization — a rabies serology test required by rabies-free destinations.
Brachycephalic
Snub-nosed breeds (French Bulldogs, Pugs, Persians, Himalayans) with restricted airline acceptance due to heat-stress risk.
AVIH
Animal Vehicle In Hold — IATA's term for cargo pet shipment, with fees that vary by carrier and route.