ESTCA Standard v1.1: effective 1 May 2026
Publication note for ESTCA-STD-001 v1.1.
EU standard and registry for travel with canine animals
Verifiable travel readiness for dogs in aircraft cabins
The European Standard for Travel with Canine Animals (ESTCA) sets welfare baselines, accredited training and assessment, and a public register so airlines and the public can confirm that a dog has met the same transparent bar for cabin travel.
Register response fields
- Status
- Certified / Expired / Under Review
- Identifier
- Pet passport number
- Public fields
- Certification, dates, trainer
Owner contact details are not shown in public queries. Partner verification follows the standard and applicable data-use terms.
Are you a dog owner or trainer?
Find an accredited trainer, book an assessment, or manage certifications on our certification platform.
How it works
Four steps from owner to airline
ESTCA gives airlines a checkable readiness signal so the decision isn't made in ten seconds at the gate. Each step is owned by the right person.
- 01
Find an accredited trainer
OwnerOwners go to certified-estca.eu to find an ESTCA-accredited trainer.
- 02
Five-area assessment
TrainerThe trainer assesses the dog across the five behavioural areas in the standard.
- 03
Certificate issued and registered
RegistryIf the dog meets the standard, the certificate appears in the public register on estca.eu.
- 04
Airlines verify at booking or check-in
AirlineAirlines look up the certification via the API or the register. Cabin acceptance stays with the airline.
Why ESTCA exists
The way people travel with dogs is changing
Airlines are starting to accept larger dogs in the cabin. ESTCA sets a clear standard early — protecting dogs and giving airlines a consistent readiness signal they can rely on.
- Document
- ESTCA-STD-001
- Effective
- 1 May 2026
- Next review
- 1 May 2027
- 01
Larger dogs are entering cabins
Airlines are starting to accept larger dogs in the cabin, but there is no consistent way to confirm a dog is actually prepared. ESTCA gives airlines a consistent, checkable readiness signal while keeping final acceptance under their own policies.
- 02
Dog welfare has to remain central
The standard sets a public bar for preparation, welfare and review instead of leaving dogs exposed to inconsistent expectations.
- 03
Adoption must be practical
Airlines and partners need a structure that is easy to check, easy to explain and careful about what certification can decide.
Public register
Verify a certification
Enter the pet passport number as shown on the document. The register returns certification status, key dates, the certifying trainer and the dog's name when available. Owner contact data are not returned.
For airlines & operators
Integrate verification into your workflows
ESTCA provides a programmatic verification API so airlines can confirm a dog's certification status at booking, check-in or compliance without manual lookups. The register returns status, dates, trainer and certification number — no owner contact data.
Programmatic verification
JSON API returns certification status, dates and trainer details. Integrate into booking, check-in or compliance systems.
Privacy-safe lookups
Public queries confirm readiness without exposing owner contact details. Partner verification follows Part E.2 of the standard.
Airline discretion preserved
ESTCA certification does not replace airline approval, safety assessment or animal-health documentation requirements.
Primary access
Standard, register, airline pathway and governance
Verification
Public register
Search by pet passport number and confirm certification status without displaying owner contact details.
OpenNormative textThe standard
Read ESTCA-STD-001, including scope, welfare baseline, trainer accreditation, certification and renewal.
OpenAdoptionAirline pathway
Technical briefings, API review and operational verification discussion without implying carrier approval.
OpenOversightGovernance and independence
How the standard is stewarded separately from certification operations and commercial incentives.
OpenSystem overview
How the ESTCA system works
One public standardESTCA-STD-001 is the normative source for requirements.Show
ESTCA-STD-001 defines the welfare baseline, trainer accreditation, dog assessment, certification validity, public register and complaints pathway. Research notes, advisories and airline feedback can inform review, but they do not change requirements unless the standard is formally amended.
Read the standardA checkable readiness signalAirlines can evaluate evidence without surrendering final approval.Show
Operators can review the standard, assess the verification API, and map registry checks into booking, check-in or compliance workflows. Registry verification does not replace airline approval, animal-health documentation or aircraft safety assessment.
View airline engagementIndependent oversight controlsStandard stewardship is kept separate from certification operations.Show
ESTCA Association holds the public standard and registry oversight. Certified-ESTCA.eu operates certification workflows under licence, while conflicts, safeguards and public status authority remain visible through governance pages.
View governanceEvidence-led reviewResearch and operational learning feed a controlled review cycle.Show
Foundation resources from licensing fees, contributions and partnerships can support research, awareness and welfare-led guidance. Technical review helps the standard adapt while keeping explanatory material separate from formal requirements.
Research and notesLatest
Current publications
Standard review process
How comments, evidence, advisories and amendments are handled.