Why live animal air cargo needs a digital overhaul

IATA said manual compliance processes are becoming increasingly difficult to manage as live animal air cargo operations grow more complex. The association believes digital tools can improve compliance, reduce errors and enhance collaboration across the live animal supply chain. IATA highlighted its LAR Verify platform as a way to simplify regulatory requirements and support safer, more efficient live animal transport. The International Air Transport Association (IATA) is urging the air cargo industry to accelerate the digitalisation of live animal transport, warning that manual compliance processes are struggling to keep pace with increasingly complex global supply chains. In an article published through its Knowledge Hub, IATA said transporting live animals by air requires compliance with a combination of government regulations, airline policies, container specifications, documentation and handling requirements, making the process increasingly challenging for airlines, freight forwarders, ground handlers and shippers. “Transporting live animals by air involves far more than moving cargo from one destination to another. Every shipment must comply with a complex combination of regulations, documentation requirements, container specifications, handling instructions, and carrier-specific policies – all while ensuring the highest standards of animal welfare,” said IATA’s spokesperson on LinkedIn. According to the association, relying on fragmented documentation and manual interpretation can increase the risk of delays, compliance failures and operational inefficiencies, while potentially affecting animal welfare. IATA said digital tools can help transform static regulatory requirements into real-time operational guidance, allowing stakeholders to access up-to-date information more efficiently, improve collaboration across the supply chain and reduce manual errors. As part of this effort, IATA highlighted its LAR Verify solution, which consolidates applicable requirements for live animal shipments into a single digital platform based on shipment details, including animal type, origin, destination and airline. “As air cargo becomes increasingly interconnected, manual compliance processes are struggling to keep pace with the speed, accuracy, and transparency that modern operations demand. Digitalisation offers an opportunity to bridge the gap between regulatory complexity and operational reality, helping stakeholders access accurate requirements more efficiently, strengthen compliance, and reduce operational risk.” The association said digital compliance tools could support faster shipment preparation, improve regulatory compliance and strengthen animal welfare by ensuring all parties work from the same information throughout the transport process.