The Amtrak pet release form — officially the Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement — is a one-page document you print your name on, sign, and date before boarding with a small dog or cat. You can complete it online at the end of your booking, pull it up later through “My Trip” on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app, or download the PDF and bring a signed paper copy to the station.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak The three fields you fill in are simple. The legal commitments behind your signature are not.
The Three Fields You Complete
The form asks for only three things from you:
- Your full printed name as the passenger and pet owner
- Your signature, confirming you accept the agreement’s terms
- The date you sign
A fourth field, the PNR (your six-character reservation code), is filled in by Amtrak staff, not by you.2Amtrak. Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement There are no fields for your address, phone number, train number, or station details.
You need a separate signed form for each travel segment. A round trip means two forms, one for the outbound leg and one for the return.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak
Where To Get the Form
After you book a reservation with a pet, the online version appears automatically at the end of the booking flow. You can also retrieve it later through “My Trip” on Amtrak.com or the Amtrak app.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak If you prefer paper, download the PDF from Amtrak’s website, print it, and sign it by hand before you arrive.
How To Submit It at the Station
At a staffed station, bring the signed form to the ticket office at least 45 minutes before departure. Agents use that window to validate your pet’s eligibility and paperwork.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak If there is an issue with your carrier or a long line, you will not get a second boarding call, so budget more time than you think you need.
At an unstaffed station, the conductor handles validation on board. Either way, keep the signed form accessible for the entire trip. The agreement itself states it must be signed and returned to a train crew member to permit the pet on board, and crew may ask to see it again during ticket checks.2Amtrak. Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement
What Your Signature Commits You To
The form is short, but it carries real financial consequences. By signing, you accept sole responsibility for managing your pet during the trip and for any damage, harm, or loss your pet causes to Amtrak, other passengers, or crew. You agree to fully reimburse Amtrak for any repair, cleaning, decontamination, or other maintenance costs connected to carrying your pet.2Amtrak. Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement A scratched seat or an accident in the aisle becomes your bill.
You also release and indemnify Amtrak against all claims related to your pet’s travel, including injury or death, property damage, and any other losses suffered by Amtrak, you, or any third party relating directly or indirectly to your pet being on the train.2Amtrak. Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement If another passenger trips over your carrier or reports an allergic reaction, Amtrak’s position is that the matter is yours to handle.
Finally, Amtrak reserves the right to refuse or revoke permission to carry your pet at any time, for any reason, at its sole discretion.2Amtrak. Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement A pet that becomes disruptive or aggressive can be removed with its owner at the next station stop, and fares are not refundable after departure.
What You’re Certifying About Your Pet
Your signature also certifies that your pet and carrier meet Amtrak’s rules. Confirm these before you sign, because the crew can refuse the animal at check-in after you have already paid the pet fee.
Your dog or cat must be at least eight weeks old, current on all vaccinations, and healthy enough to travel without needing attention during the trip. The animal must also be odorless, quiet, and non-aggressive, qualities the crew evaluates at check-in and can reassess during the trip.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak
The combined weight of your pet and its carrier cannot exceed 20 pounds. The carrier, hard-sided or soft, must be leak-proof, well-ventilated, and fit entirely under your seat. Maximum dimensions are 19 inches long by 14 inches wide by 10.5 inches high.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak Your pet must stay inside the closed carrier at all times in stations and on the train.3Amtrak. Terms and Conditions
One more booking rule worth checking before you sign: pet reservations are limited to trips of seven hours or less, including transfer time, pets ride in Coach only, and several routes exclude pets entirely.1Amtrak. Pets on Amtrak A signed form will not override any of those limits.
Service Animals Do Not Use This Form
Service animals, meaning dogs individually trained to perform tasks for a person with a disability, do not require the Pet Release and Indemnification Agreement and travel at no extra charge. Emotional support animals are not service animals under Department of Transportation regulations and follow the same rules as any other pet, including the signed agreement, the carrier requirement, and the fee.4Amtrak. Traveling with Service Animals If your animal provides comfort but is not task-trained for a disability, Amtrak treats it as a pet.