Heathrow Airport Animal Reception Centre reports 110% rise in assistance animal imports

Heathrow Animal Reception Centre (HARC) has stepped up to respond to sustained growth in the number of passengers travelling with assistance animals.

Last year, HARC, which is managed by the City of London Corporation, handled 1,800 assistance animals, up 110 percent since 2021, and follows ongoing regulatory change, evolving airline practices, and rising demand on transatlantic routes.

The Centre saw a spike in the number of assistance dogs moving through Heathrow during December and January because of passengers travelling to visit family during the holiday season.

“As part of our responsibilities for animal health and welfare across Greater London, and to support access for all passengers arriving into the UK, we work closely with airlines and Heathrow Airport to manage growing demand and maintain robust arrival checks as assistance dog travel increases,” said Peter Dunphy, Chair of the City Corporation’s Port Health and Environmental Services Committee.

“Our role has become more complex as the number of assistance dogs travelling through Heathrow has increased, and it is essential that checks remain consistent, health and welfare compliant, and focused on facilitating access to travel for passengers with assistance dogs,” added Susie Pritchard, Assistant Director of Animal Health and Welfare at HARC.

Pritchard has also been recently appointed to the Assistance Dogs UK Advisory Panel to provide specialist legal and public policy guidance to support the development of credible legislative and policy reform.

Assistance dogs are specially trained canines that carry out specific tasks to support people with disabilities, including guiding visually impaired passengers, alerting people with hearing loss, and assisting individuals with physical or medical conditions.

While some airlines now assess assistance dog training internally, HARC continues to carry out assessments and arrival checks for most airlines operating into Heathrow.

HARC is the UK’s only Live Animal Border Control Post designated for all species, with facilities to receive and hold any animal.

It is managed by the City of London Corporation, responsible for enforcing relevant animal health and welfare legislation for all imported animals into Greater London.