Cebu Pacific lets only one kind of animal into the cabin: a dog travelling as a service dog or an emotional support dog, and only one per flight. Cats and other pets can't fly with you. They go through CEB Cargo instead, on domestic flights only, with a permit, a health certificate and a crate that meets the airline's rules. A long list of snub-nosed and some toy breeds is refused as cargo.
The rules are spread across several pages in the Cebu Pacific help centre, and older blog posts mix them up. This guide pulls them together from Cebu Pacific's own pages on service and emotional support animals, household pets as cargo and the CEB Cargo service, checked in November 2026.
If you are flying between islands with a small dog and want it on your lap, Cebu Pacific is only an option if the dog qualifies as a service or emotional support dog. For a family pet, the choice is cargo on Cebu Pacific, or a different airline. Philippine Airlines, for example, now takes small pets in the cabin on its domestic flights.
Cebu Pacific pet rules at a glance
| Animal | How it travels | Main rules |
|---|---|---|
| Service dog | Cabin, on a leash | Training document, vaccination card, shipping permit; one dog per flight |
| Emotional support dog | Cabin, in a soft carrier or leashed and muzzled | Letter on medical letterhead, vaccination card, shipping permit; one dog per flight |
| Cat or pet dog | CEB Cargo, domestic only | At least 3 months old, local shipping permit, vet health certificate, vaccinated 14 days before |
| Snub-nosed breeds | Generally not accepted as cargo | List includes Pugs, French Bulldogs, Shih Tzus, Persians, Chihuahuas and Yorkshire Terriers |
| International pets | Cargo through an IATA-accredited freight forwarder | Forwarder handles documents and booking |
Cebu Pacific doesn't publish a pet fee on these pages. Cargo is priced by weight, volume and declared value, so ask for a quote when you book.
Dogs in the cabin: service and emotional support only
Cebu Pacific's help page says only dogs are allowed in the cabin, as service dogs or emotional support dogs, and "no other animals are allowed in the cabin." That includes cats. The rule applies on flights operated by Cebu Pacific and its regional arm Cebgo.
Only one dog is allowed per flight. That is a tight limit, so declare the dog as soon as you book. If someone else on the flight has already declared one, you may need a different departure.
Documents for a cabin dog
For a service dog, Cebu Pacific asks for a document confirming the dog's training, an up to date vaccination card, and a shipping permit from the Bureau of Animal Industry, part of the Department of Agriculture. For an emotional support dog, you need a letter on medical letterhead supporting your need for the animal, the vaccination card, and the same shipping permit.
The airline's short FAQ lists only the training or medical document and the vaccination card. The full help article adds the shipping permit, so bring all three. It costs far less time to carry an extra page than to be turned away at the counter.
How to declare the dog
You declare the dog during booking or later through Manage Booking. Cebu Pacific recommends its app for this. Open your booking, choose Manage, then Update Guest Details, tick the box saying you have a declaration or request, and select the option for travelling with a service dog. Keep a screenshot of the confirmation.
Carrier, leash and seating rules
An emotional support dog may ride in a soft carrier that fits under the seat in front, which Cebu Pacific puts at about 8 x 8 x 14 inches. Inside the carrier, no leash or muzzle is needed. Outside a carrier, an emotional support dog must be on a leash and wear a mouth restraint. Service dogs must be leashed at all times but don't need a muzzle.
The dog can't sit on a seat, and neither the dog nor its owner can sit in an exit row. It has to fit on your lap or in your legroom. Cebu Pacific suggests a window seat, with the dog between you and the window. If the dog is too big, staff may move you to a seat with more room, or rebook you on a later flight. You can buy an extra seat to guarantee the space, but the dog still can't sit on it.
Diapers and hygiene
This is the rule people miss. Cebu Pacific says cabin dogs must wear pet diapers and sit on moisture-absorbing material. The alternative is a document stating that the dog doesn't need to relieve itself during the flight. Pack spare diapers, absorbent pads and a bag for used ones, especially if a delay is possible.
Cats and pet dogs: CEB Cargo only
Every other pet travels as cargo. Cebu Pacific's household pets guide covers domestic routes within the Philippines. The pet must be at least 3 months old and travel in a rigid, escape-proof crate. Live animals only fly on ventilated aircraft, and the airline warns that aircraft can change without notice.
Booking is first come, first served, and requests are only accepted one to three days before the date you want. The service is airport to airport, so you drop the pet at the cargo terminal and collect it at the other end. Cebu Pacific also says it doesn't ship live animals between 8:00 AM and 4:00 PM, which in practice pushes pet shipments to early morning, evening or night flights, out of the worst of the daytime heat.
No live animals travel on ATR aircraft or Cebgo flights, apart from properly packed live fish. So on routes served only by smaller turboprops, a pet can't fly on Cebu Pacific at all. The airline's A330 jets can take live animals, but with quantity limits.
Permits and paperwork for domestic cargo
For a domestic pet shipment, Cebu Pacific lists three documents. First, a local shipping permit, which is applied for online and takes about three business days to process. The printed permit has to be countersigned by a quarantine officer at the airport office at NAIA, and that signature is valid for 24 hours, while the permit itself lasts seven days. Second, a veterinary health certificate. Third, an up to date vaccination record from a vet clinic or hospital, showing the pet was vaccinated at least 14 days before travel and stating the breed.
The 24 hour countersignature is the tight part. Plan the airport office visit for the day of the flight or the day before, and leave time for queues.
Crate rules
Cebu Pacific's crate rules are strict. The container must be rigid and escape-proof, with ventilation on at least three sides, not counting the roof and floor. Kennel cages need openings on all four sides. The pet must have room to stand, turn and lie down naturally. Metal cages are not allowed, top-opening kennels are not allowed, and wheels must be removed or taped. The floor must be leak-proof with absorbent bedding, and there can be no sharp edges inside. A reused crate has to be washed and disinfected.
A standard rigid plastic airline crate built to the IATA Live Animals Regulations, with ventilation on all sides, usually meets these rules. If you are unsure, our guide to choosing a pet transport crate explains how to size one.
The banned breed list
Cebu Pacific generally doesn't accept snub-nosed dogs and cats as cargo, and its list is longer than many owners expect. For cats it includes Birman, Bombay, British Shorthair and Longhair, Burmese, Burmilla, Exotic Shorthair, Himalayan, Persian, Scottish Fold and Selkirk Rex. For dogs it includes Pugs, all bulldogs, French Bulldogs, Boston Terriers, Boxers, Shih Tzus, Lhasa Apsos, Pekingese, Chow Chows, Shar Peis, Cavalier King Charles Spaniels, mastiff breeds, Cane Corsos, American Bullies and American Pit Bull Terriers.
The list also names several small breeds that aren't usually thought of as flat-faced, including Chihuahuas, Maltese, Bichon Frises, Yorkshire Terriers and Silky Terriers, plus the Newfoundland. Mixed breeds with some snub-nosed genetics may be assessed case by case. If your pet is on the list, plan for a different airline or a ferry or road trip. Our guide to the snub-nosed breed flying rules explains why airlines treat these breeds differently.
Getting your pet used to the crate
Start crate training at least two or three weeks before the trip. Leave the crate open in a room your pet uses, put a favourite blanket inside, and feed meals in it. Once your pet walks in on its own, close the door for short periods and build up slowly. A pet that already treats the crate as a safe den handles the cargo terminal, the noise and the flight far better than one meeting the crate for the first time at drop-off.
The day your pet flies as cargo
Get to the cargo terminal early. Cebu Pacific's terminals in Manila and Cebu run 24 hours a day, but the paperwork check, weighing and crate inspection all take time, and a missing signature can mean starting again. Bring the original permit, health certificate and vaccination record, plus copies. Label the crate with your name, phone number and the name of the person collecting the pet, and tape a small bag of food to the top in case of a delay.
Give your pet a light meal a few hours before drop-off rather than a full meal just before, and offer water up to the last moment. Line the crate with an absorbent pad and a familiar blanket or t-shirt. Don't sedate your pet without your vet's advice, because sedatives can affect breathing and balance in flight.
The person collecting the pet at the other end needs a valid ID and the air waybill number. Cebu Pacific's cargo page says domestic cargo has no storage charge for the first 24 hours after arrival, but a pet should never be left that long. Arrange collection for the arrival time and have water ready.
Is cargo safe for a pet?
Most pets shipped as cargo arrive fine, but the risk is real and it isn't the same for every animal. Heat is the biggest danger in the Philippines, which is one reason Cebu Pacific keeps live animal shipments out of the daytime window. Older pets, puppies and kittens near the minimum age, and any pet with a heart or breathing problem are more at risk. If your vet has doubts, take that seriously. Our guide to cargo versus cabin travel sets out how the two compare and what you can do to lower the risk.
What it costs
Cebu Pacific doesn't list a fixed pet fee. Its cargo charges are worked out from the type of cargo, the actual weight or the volume of the crate, whichever is greater, and the declared value. A small cat in a compact crate costs far less than a large dog in a big one. Add the cost of the vet visit, the vaccination record, the shipping permit and the crate itself when you budget, and ask the cargo team for a quote before you commit.
International pet shipments
For international routes, Cebu Pacific doesn't take pet bookings from individuals. Its cargo pages say international shipments are accepted only through IATA-accredited freight forwarders, and the forwarder handles the documents and the booking. You can ask for a forwarder referral through the CEB Cargo support portal. Destinations add their own rules, and Singapore, for example, requires a licence from its Animal and Veterinary Service for animals imported, transshipped or exported.
If you are moving a pet between the Philippines and the US, Cebu Pacific isn't usually part of the route. Our guides on pet transport from the Philippines to the US and pet transport to the Philippines cover the airlines and paperwork that apply.
Other ways to fly a pet in the Philippines
Philippine Airlines is the main alternative for a pet in the cabin. It began taking small dogs in the cabin on its domestic flights in 2026, with rules and fees we cover in our Philippine Airlines pet policy guide. For bigger dogs and banned breeds, inter-island ferries and road trips are often more practical, and many owners use them to avoid cargo altogether. Rules vary by ferry operator, so check before you buy a ticket.