Travelling with a pet

Pet animals are animals listed below who are accompanied by their owner or an authorised person during non-commercial movement, and which remains for the duration of such non-commercial movement under the responsibility of the owner or the authorised person and are not meant for the sale or the transfer of ownership. 

The animal species, to which simplification of non-commercial movement of pet animals applies, are:

  • dogs
  • cats
  • ferrets
  • invertebrates (except bees and bumble bees and molluscs and crustaceans)
  • tropical ornamental fish
  • amphibia (e.g. frogs and newts)
  • reptiles (e.g. snakes, lizards, turtles, dragon lizards, chameleons)
  • rodents and domestic rabbits
  • some bird species

Requirements for non-commercial movement:

1. The maximum number of dogs, cats and ferrets which may accompany the owner or an authorised person during a single non-commercial movement shall not exceed 5.

The maximum number of pet animals may exceed five if the following conditions are fulfilled:

  • the non-commercial movement of pet animals is for the purpose of participating in competitions, exhibitions or sporting events or in training for such events;

  • the owner or the authorised person submits written evidence that the pet animals are registered either to attend an event referred above, or with an association organising such events;

  • the pet animals are more than six months old

2. Pet animal shall be accomponied by its owner or an authorised person. Non-commercial movement of a pet animal can take place up to five days earlier or later than the movement of the owner if the movement of the pet animal constitutes part of the movement of the owner. In such case, the owner or the authorised person shall submit written evidence on movement of the owner (i.e. boarding pass or ship tickets of the owner).

3. Movement of pet animal does not have as its aim either the sale of or the transfer of ownership.

In case:

  • travelling takes place together with animals who are kept as pets but do not belong to species listed in Annex I to the regulation (e.g. hens, turkeys, guinea fowls, ducks, geese, quails, pigeons, pheasants, partridges, ostriches, miniature pigs, crustaceans, etc.) and/or

  • there are more than 5 animals and/or

  • the purpose of travelling is commercial and/or

  • the animals are not accompanied by the owner or a person authorized by the owner,

- requirements governing trade of animals between EU countries or import of pet animals from non-EU countries shall apply and such animals and birds are subjected to veterinary checks.

In order to bring a dog or cat with non-commercial purpose from Russia or Belarus to Estonia following requirements must be fulfilled:

1. Dogs and cats must be marked by microchip;

2. Dogs and cats must have a valid anti-rabies vaccination. The pet animal must be at least 12 weeks old at the date of vaccination. The date of vaccination  took place after implantation of or reading the number of the microchip. The validity period of the vaccination starts from establishment of the protective immunity but not later than in 21 days after primary vaccination and remains valid until the date the authorised veterinarian or official veterinarian has stated in the pet passport.

NB! Bringing young dogs, cats and ferrets without valid anti-rabies vaccination into Estonia from non-EU countries is not allowed.

Thus, if the puppy or kitten was vaccinated against rabies at the age of 12 weeks, the minimum age on the animal when travelling to Estonia could be 15 weeks (12 weeks + 21 days).

3. Rabies antibody titration test is not required upon entering Estonia from Russia or Belarus.

4. The pet animal must be accompanied with a certificate. The certificate is issued or verified by an official veterinary inspector, filled with capital letters in English language and the language of the Member State of entry and remains valid for 10 day as of the date of issuance.

5.  The certificate must be accompanied by the declaration of non-commercial movement signed by the owner of the animal or by a person authorised by the owner.

6. Anti-parasite treatment for dogs is not needed upon entering into Estonia.

Entry of pet animals accompanying travellers on non-commercial purposes to Estonia from non-EU countries is allowed via all border stations open for International trafficking including travellers  in which case supervision of such entry is executed by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

Please find more detailed information in "Movement into Estonia from Non-EU countries" section.

Movement into Estonia from another Member State

In order to bring a dog, cat or ferret with non-commercial purpose into Estonia from another Member State following requirements must be fulfilled:

1. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be marked by implantation of a transponder or by a clearly readable tattoo applied before July 3rd 2011.

Requirements for transponders:

  • the transponder must comply with ISO standard 11784 and apply HDX or FDX-B technology; and
  • the transponder must be capable of being read by a reading device compatible with ISO standard 11785.

In case the transponder does not comply with the above standards, the traveller shall provide the means necessary for reading that transponder.

2. The pet animal must be accompanied by a EU pet passport issued by an authorised veterinarian and which enables to identify the owner of the pet animal and his/her address and which proves the existence of valid vaccination against rabies.

The EU pet passport must state the name and contact information of the owner, number of the transponder or the tattoo and rabies vaccination date, used vaccine and validity of the vaccination.

3. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccination must be valid during the journey.

Anti-rabies vaccination must fulfil the following conditions:

  • the vaccine was administered by an authorised veterinarian;
  • the pet animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date of vaccination;
  • the date of vaccination is stated by an authorised veterinarian or an official veterinarian in section V of the pet passport;
  • the date of vaccination entered to section V of the pet passport took place after implantation of or reading the number of the transponder stated in section III or the date of application and reading of the transponder or tattoo.
  • the validity period of the vaccination starts from establishment of the protective immunity but not later than in 21 days after primary vaccination and remains valid until the date the authorised veterinarian or official veterinarian has stated in section V of the pet passport;
  • a revaccination must be considered a primary vaccination if it was not carried out within the period of validity referred to in the above clause (e) of the previous vaccination.

Bringing young dogs, cats and ferrets without valid anti-rabies vaccination into Estonia from other Member States is allowed in case they are accompanied with a pet passport and marked by microchip (see chapter “Travelling with young dogs, cats or ferrets”).

4. Anti-parasite treatment for dogs is not needed upon entering into Estonia.

  • The same conditions apply to pets coming from Greenland, Faeroe Islands, Gibraltar, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican.

Entry of pet animals accompanying travellers on non-commercial purposes to Estonia from EU countries is allowed via all border stations open for International trafficking including travellers in which case supervision of such entry is executed by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

With a pet animal to other EU Member States

In order to travel with a dog, cat or ferret with non-commercial purpose from Estonia to  another Member States following requirements must be fulfilled:

1. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be marked by implantation of a transponder or by a clearly readable tattoo applied before July 3rd 2011.

Requirements for transponders:

  • the transponder must comply with ISO standard 11784 and apply HDX or FDX-B technology; and
  • the transponder must be capable of being read by a reading device compatible with ISO standard 11785.

In case the transponder does not comply with the above standards, the traveller shall provide the means necessary for reading that transponder.

2. The pet animal must be accompanied by a EU pet passport issued by an authorised veterinarian and which enables to identify the owner of the pet animal and his/her address and which proves the existence of valid vaccination against rabies.

The EU pet passport must state the name and contact information of the owner, number of the transponder or the tattoo and rabies vaccination date, used vaccine and validity of the vaccination.

3. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be vaccinated against rabies. Vaccination must be valid during the journey.

Anti-rabies vaccination must fulfil the following conditions:

  • the vaccine was administered by an authorised veterinarian;
  • the pet animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date of vaccination;
  • the date of vaccination is stated by an authorised veterinarian or an official veterinarian in section V of the pet passport;
  • the date of vaccination entered to section V of the pet passport took place after implantation of or reading the number of the transponder stated in section III or the date of application and reading of the transponder or tattoo.
  • the validity period of the vaccination starts from establishment of the protective immunity but not later than in 21 days after primary vaccination and remains valid until the date the authorised veterinarian or official veterinarian has stated in section V of the pet passport;
  • a revaccination must be considered a primary vaccination if it was not carried out within the period of validity referred to in the above clause (e) of the previous vaccination.

Member States may allow movement of young dogs, cats and ferrets without valid anti-rabies vaccination in case they are accompanied with a pet passport and they have not left the place of birth and have had no contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies or the pet animals are accompanied by their mother on whom they still depend. However, many Member States do not allow the above and the import requirements of the countries of  destination should always be checked before travelling.

EU countries' decision regarding the application of the exception from the anti-rabies vaccination condition for young dogs and cats can be found on the European Commission website: https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/eu-legislation/young-animals_en

4. Anti-parasite treatment for dogs

Upon movement to United Kingdom, Malta, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway and Finland, Echinococcus multilocularis infection treatment in dogs is required. Anti-parasite treatment must be executed no later than 24 hours and not earlier than 120 hours before the scheduled entry to the above Member States. Anti- parasite treatment must be administered by a veterinarian using a medicinal product that contains a sufficient dosage of praziquantel of another appropriate licensed pharmacological preparation. The anti-parasite treatment data shall be verified in the respective part of the pet passport by the administering veterinarian.

Movement into Estonia from Non-EU countries

Requrements mentioned below do not apply to the following countries as they shall be considered Member States:

  • Greenland, Faeroe Islands, Gibraltar, Andorra, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Switzerland and Vatican.

In order to bring a dog, cat or ferret with non-commercial purpose from non-EU country or territory to Estonia following requirements must be fulfilled:

1. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be marked by implantation of a transponder or by a clearly readable tattoo applied before July 3rd 2011.

Requirements for transponders:

  • the transponder must comply with ISO standard 11784 and apply HDX or FDX-B technology; and
  • the transponder must be capable of being read by a reading device compatible with ISO standard 11785. 

In case the transponder does not comply with the above standards, the traveller shall provide the means necessary for reading that transponder.

2. Upon arrival from a non-EU country, the pet animal must be accompanied with a certificate complying with the example in Annex IV part 1 to the Commission implementing regulation (EU) 577/2013 (last amended by EU regulation 2019/1293).

The certificate must state details about the owner and the animal, number of the transponder or tattoo and rabies vaccination date, used vaccine and validity of the vaccination.

The certificate is issued or verified by an official veterinary inspector, filled with capital letters in English language and the language of the Member State of entry and remains valid for 10 day as of the date of issuance. In case of maritime transportation, the validity of the certificate is extended by the length of the journey.

For the purpose of further movement into other Member States, this certificate is valid from the date of the documentary and identity checks for a total of four months or until the date of expiry of the validity of the anti-rabies vaccination, whichever date is earlier (the validity of the certificate cannot be longer than 4 months).

Upon re-entry of animals of EU origin from non-EU countries, the required accompanying document is the EU pet passport.

3. The certificate must be accompanied by the declaration of non-commercial movement signed by the owner of the animal or by a person authorised by the owner.

4. Vaccination and titration of antibodies

4.1) If you are bringing a dog, cat or ferret to Estonia from non-EU country or territory where the situation regarding rabies is considered satisfactory.

Regulation 576/2013/EU divides the non-EU countries into groups based on rabies situation in those countries. The lists of non-EU countries are established with Annex II to the Regulation 577/2013/EU. Annex II part 2 lists those third countries where the situation regarding rabies is considered satisfactory; requirements applicable to dogs, cats and ferrets arriving from those countries are the same regarding rabies as requirements for animals arriving from other Member States.

Thus all dogs, cats and ferrets arriving from listed countries must have a valid anti-rabies vaccination.

Anti-rabies vaccination must fulfil the following conditions:

  • the vaccine was administered by an authorised veterinarian;
  • the pet animal was at least 12 weeks old at the date of vaccination;
  • the date of vaccination is stated by an authorised veterinarian or an official veterinarian in section V of the pet passport;
  • the date of vaccination entered to section V of the pet passport took place after implantation of or reading the number of the transponder stated in section III or the date of application and reading of the transponder or tattoo.
  • the validity period of the vaccination starts from establishment of the protective immunity but not later than in 21 days after primary vaccination and remains valid until the date the authorised veterinarian or official veterinarian has stated in section V of the pet passport;
  • a revaccination must be considered a primary vaccination if it was not carried out within the period of validity referred to in the above clause (e) of the previous vaccination.

**Bringing young dogs, cats and ferrets without valid anti-rabies vaccination into Estonia from non-EU countries is not allowed.

In case the animals are being moved through not listed countries as transit, the animals must be accompanied with a declaration of transit signed by the owner of the animal or an authorised person, which declare that, during the transit the following pet animals have had no contact with animals of species susceptible to rabies and remain secure within a means of transport or within the perimeter of an international airport.

4.2) If you are bringing a dog, cat or ferret to Estonia from non-EU country or territory where the situation regarding rabies is considered not satisfactory.

Dogs, cats and ferrets arriving from third countries not listed in part 2 of Annex II to regulation 577/2013 must, additionally to the anti-rabies vaccination, also have a rabies anti-bodies titre determined in a recognised laboratory.

Anti-body titre can be determined starting from 30 days after vaccination. The required titre is 0.5 units/ml or higher. The time between determination of anti-titre and movement must be not less than 3 months. The test must be done in an authorised laboratory.

Information about titration of rabies anti-bodies must be entered into the certificate. The certificate must be accompanied with an original laboratory report verifying titration of anti-bodies according to the requirements.

The rabies antibody titration test does not have to be renewed following a satisfactory result (0.5 units/ml or higher), provided that the pet animal is revaccinated within the period of validity of the previous vaccination.

Re-entering the EU

Animals of European Union origin or of Andorra, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican, Faroe Island, Gibraltar or Greenland origin re-entering the European Union from not listed countries must instead of the certificate carry a EU pet passport that states rabies anti-body titration result in passport’s part VI entered before leaving the territory of the European Union or the above stated countries. The passport must be accompanied with an original laboratory report verifying titration of anti-bodies according to the requirements. In case of re-entry of EU pets into the non-listed third country 3-months waiting period is not required since rabies is not endemic in the EU.

5. Anti-parasite treatment for dogs

Upon movement to United Kingdom, Malta, Ireland, Northern Ireland, Norway and Finland, Echinococcus multilocularis infection treatment in dogs is required. Anti-parasite treatment must be executed no later than 24 hours and not earlier than 120 hours before the scheduled entry to the above Member States.

Anti- parasite treatment must be administered by a veterinarian using a medicinal product that contains a sufficient dosage of praziquantel of another appropriate licensed pharmacological preparation. The anti-parasite treatment data shall be verified in the respective part of the pet passport by the administering veterinarian.

Entry of pet animals accompanying travellers on non-commercial purposes to Estonia from non-EU countries is allowed via all border stations open for International trafficking including travellers  in which case supervision of such entry is executed by the Estonian Tax and Customs Board.

Travelling with young dogs, cats or ferrets

From other EU Member States (incl. Andorra, Switzerland, Iceland, Liechtenstein, Monaco, Norway, San Marino, Vatican, Faroe Island, Gibraltar or Greenland)  non-commercial movement of young cats, dogs and ferrets without valid anti-rabies vaccination to the territory of Estonia is allowed.

These pet animals can be:

  • less than 12 weeks old and not vaccinated against rabies or
  • 12-16 weeks old and vaccinated against rabies but the vaccination is not yet valid.

Non-commercial movement of such pet animals without valid anti-rabies vaccination is allowed only if the destination country is Estonia. Before travelling to other EU Member States, the requirements of the respective state must be found out in prior since allowing movement with pet animals on above conditions is placed within the competence of each Member State.

The further movement of unvaccinated animals from Estonia into other Member State is not allowed.

EU countries' decision regarding the application of the exception from the anti-rabies vaccination condition for young dogs and cats can be found on the European Commission website: https://ec.europa.eu/food/animals/pet-movement/eu-legislation/young-animals_en

The animals must comply with the following requirements:

1. Dogs, cats and ferrets must be marked by implantation of a transponder.
Requirements for transponders:

  • the transponder must comply with ISO standard 11784 and apply HDX or FDX-B technology; and
  • the transponder must be capable of being read by a reading device compatible with ISO standard 11785.

In case the transponder does not comply with the above standards, the traveller shall provide the means necessary for reading that transponder..

2. The pet animal must be accompanied by a EU pet passport issued by an authorised veterinarian and which enables to identify the owner of the pet animal and his/her address and which proves the existence of valid vaccination against rabies.

The EU pet passport must state the name and contact information of the owner, number of the transponder or the tattoo and rabies vaccination date, used vaccine and validity of the vaccination.


3. In case the animals are accompanied by their mother on whom they depend, it must be possible to establish from the identification document of the mother that before their birth, the mother received an anti-rabies vaccination, which complied with the validity requirements.

4. In case the animals are travelling without their mother, either the owner or the authorised person provides a signed declaration of unvaccinated animals that verifies that from birth until the time of the non-commercial movement the pet animals have had no contact with wild animals of species susceptible to rabies.

Travelling with a pet animal to non-EU countries

Upon taking a pet animal into a non-EU country, requirements of the respective destination country must be followed. Most of the non-EU countries require a veterinarian certificate upon entry, which can be applied for via Customer Portal in the county veterinary local office.

If you cannot apply for a certificate via Customer Portal please fill in an application on paper and submit it to the country representation e-mail address.

Requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals other than dogs, cats or ferrets

Other pet are: invertebrates (except bees and bumble bees and molluscs and crustaceans), tropical ornamental Fish, amphibia (e.g. frogs and newts), reptiles (e.g. snakes, lizards, turtles, dragon lizards, chameleons), rodents and domestic rabbits, some bird species.

The EU has not yet implemented special requirements for non-commercial movement of pet animals other than dogs, cats or ferrets. The general requirement is that the animals must be clinically healthy and their welfare requirements must be fulfilled during movement.
However, some states require a special permit or have other requirements for travelling with such animals. The requirements of the destination countries can usually be found on the homepages of the respective customs agencies from subdivisions of traveller information. References of some countries can be found below.

Information about travelling with pet animals in some countries:

European Union countries:

Non-EU countries:

Useful links:

Documents:

Kaart

Ascensioni saar Mani saar
Ameerika Samoa, Guam, Põhja Mariaanid, Puerto Rico, USA Neitsisaared Mauritius
Ameerika Ühendriigid Mehhiko
Antigua ja Barbuda Monserrat
Araabia Ühendemiraadid Prantsuse Polüneesia
Argentina Põhja-Makedoonia
Aruba Saint Helena
Austraalia Saint Kitts ja Nevis
Bahrein Saint Lucia
Barbados Saint Vincent ja Grenadiinid
Bermuda Saint-Pierre ja Miquelon
Bonaire Singapur
Bosnia ja Hertsegoviina Sint Eustatius ja Saba
Briti Neitsisaared Sint-Maarten
Curacao Taiwan
Falklandi saared Trinidad ja Tobago
Fidži Tšiili
Guernsey  Uus-Kaledoonia
Hongkong Uus-Meremaa
Jaapan Valgevene
Jamaica Wallis ja Futuna
Jersey Vanuatu
Kaimanisaared Venemaa
Kanada Ühendkuningriik (v.a. Põhja-Iirimaa) 
Malaisia  

Last updated: 29.01.2024