It comes from a kind place. He's scared of the car, so a long flight in a box sounds unbearable, and a vet who doesn't do pet exports every week might agree to give him something. It's still the wrong answer, and for some animals it's a dangerous one.
What IATA says
Tranquillization of dogs and cats is not recommended. Sedation of animals, except under certain conditions and carried out under veterinary direction, is not recommended.
Most calming drugs lower blood pressure, and blood pressure drops at altitude anyway. An aircraft in flight is pressurised to about 8,000 feet. IATA's own words are that the combination is potentially fatal in old, chronically sick or stressed animals, which is exactly the animals people want to sedate. An airline can also refuse an animal that's been sedated.
What helps instead
- A crate he already knows, so start the practice as soon as the right crate is confirmed. IATA itself says a dark, quiet crate calms most animals.
- Something that smells of home in the crate, like an old t-shirt of yours.
- A route chosen for him, with fewer legs and less time on the ground between them.
- The right way to fly: in the cabin, where the airline allows it, a person sits with him the whole flight.
Source: IATA Live Animals Regulations, 52nd edition (January 2026), Container Requirement 1, section 2, and IKAN Lola's own published guidance on sedation and medication.