Traveling can be stressful, even when you’re just heading down the road. Want to compound the difficulty? Try adding in an animal. While many of us head off with our beloved pets in tow, the process can be much more complicated with a service animal. I know: My service dog and I have spent the past four years wandering the world together, which has taught me quite a few things about how it’s done.

Let’s talk about flying with a service dog, what to expect and ways to make traveling easier for both of you.

1. Bring your paperwork

Did you know there is no internationally recognized service animal database? In fact, in the U.S., there’s no specific license for service animals. While this means more folks have access to aid from a service animal, it can also mean you’ll face more scrutiny, especially if you have an invisible disability. After all, there isn’t a magic piece of paper that’ll declare your animal certified for service.

But traveling with a four-legged passenger is always going to require paperwork, so bring it all with you — printed — in an easily accessible pocket. If you’re traveling internationally, this means bringing along your service animal's U.S. Department of Agriculture health certificate. If you’re going to fly, it also means completing an attestation of training.

And if you’re looking for a way to prove that your service animal is legitimate (because you will be asked when overseas), you’ll also want to bring along proof of training. Passing the Canine Good Citizen test from the American Kennel Club is a good start, and if your animal was trained by a professional organization, have a representative write a letter outlining the training methods, the name of your animal and that they belong to you.

2. Find the right veterinarian

Where are you traveling? Depending on where you’re going, you’ll need some of the paperwork mentioned above, including the USDA-endorsed health certificate. This certificate lets other countries know that your animal is up to date on shots and is healthy overall.

Not all veterinarians are able to fill out health certificates, so you’ll need to find one that does. And although your vet may be able to fill these out by hand, the best ones can complete these digitally.

Because health certificates need to be endorsed by the USDA within a 10-day window, getting a paper certificate can mean waiting in line at an endorsing facility or overnighting your paperwork to an eligible office. Either way, you’re at the mercy of time and government bureaucracy to get your paperwork in order.