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Prepare for the trip in advance
It is advisable to accustom the animal to the next trip at least a few weeks before. It is important to provide a suitable special container to transport the animal so that it has enough space to move and lie down. It is possible to put a bed so that the pet feels comfortable, and it will be calmer on the trip with its favorite toy. Dogs and cats must have a collar with all the necessary information in case the animal gets lost. It is recommended to drink a sufficient amount of water and dry food.
Pet Documents
Like all travelers, a pet also needs proof of identity. If traveling to European Union (EU) countries, the pet owner must have a duly completed EU Pet Passport. The pet must be tagged with a subcutaneous microchip and vaccinated against rabies.
It is important to know that some EU countries (neighboring Latvia, Poland, Germany, etc.) prohibit animals from entering or transiting their territories before 21 days have elapsed since they were vaccinated against rabies immunity. Therefore, before the planned trip, it is useful to find out if there will be no countries on the planned route where such prohibitions apply. The trip will be much safer if 21 days have passed since the rabies vaccination until the start of the trip. Also, when traveling with dogs to EU countries Ireland, Malta, Cyprus and non-EU countries UK, Norway, no more than 120 hours before the trip. and for at least 24 hours, dogs must receive veterinary echinococcosis medication and this must be noted by a private veterinarian in the Pet Passport.
The traveling pet must be healthy and free of clinical signs of illness. If you consult a veterinarian before the trip, they will also provide other useful advice, such as advice on how to accustom the animal to the flight, since pets are often stressed during such a trip.
When planning trips to non-EU countries, the requirements of the final destination country and the countries through which the trip is planned should be known well in advance. Normally, these animal trips require a veterinary certificate of the corresponding form issued by the territorial department of the SFVS, depending on the place where the animal is located (the veterinary certificate indicates the requirements of the country of destination of the animal). It is worth knowing in advance that some countries, eg. Eg Australia, Israel, etc. have very strict animal import requirements and their entire implementation (testing, vaccination against communicable diseases, administration of veterinary drugs and other procedures) requires an adequate period of time.
Different countries in the world may also impose specific requirements on animals entering their country (for example, prohibiting the introduction of dogs of the relevant breeds or their crosses), so the national requirements of that country should be considered in advance so that the journey is not hampered by possible inconveniences. In addition, it is worth knowing in advance what conditions apply to traveling with pets the pet transport companies, plane or bus.
SFVS, for its part, reminds SFVS professionals that an animal must be accompanied by an appropriate form of animal identification when it is sold or bought in another country: if the animal is marketed between EU countries, the animal must be accompanied of an Internal Trade Certificate and a Pet Passport (pet passport), if the animal is purchased in a non-EU country – Zoosanitary Certificate. Only with these documents will the pet be able to reach its new home and register in the national pet registry of the destination country without any impediment.
Don’t risk acting irresponsibly
In case of illegal movements of companion animals, the competent authorities of the countries may decide to return the animal to its country of origin, the animals may be detained, quarantined, vaccinated against rabies, subjected to other mandatory veterinary procedures and depending of the legal framework of the parties, it may even be delayed.
An instructive situation occurred in Norway when, in late March, Norwegian border officials detained a dog that was being transported to a person living in Norway only on an EU pet passport. During the inspection, the Norwegian veterinary authorities found that the animal had entered the country without an animal health certificate (a document required for trade in animals in case of a change of ownership or ownership of the animal) and did not return it to the owner.
The investigation revealed that the compatriot went to Latvia and bought a puppy there, which he brought to Lithuania only with a Pet Passport (in which case the Internal Trade Certificate issued by the official veterinarian of the animal’s country of origin is mandatory because the owner of the animal changed) and did not enter the animal in the Pet Registry (mandatory action for imported animals) gave the animal to the carrier for delivery to another person in Norway.
Norwegian veterinary officials saw the facts of the illegal trade in animals and offered our compatriot several options: one to return the pet to its country of origin, that is, Latvia, because the owner of the EU pet passport issued by a veterinarian Latvian lives in Latvia, another was vaccinated against rabies and 21 d. quarantine in Norway, upon payment of the animal’s quarantine services, respectively, or, as a last resort, confiscation of the animal. The animal was confiscated after the competent Latvian authority refused to allow the animal to leave Lithuania and the owner refused to pay for costly quarantine services in Norway.
This situation is really painfully instructive, and the conclusion is one: the irresponsible behavior of the animal keeper and the failure to comply with the mandatory requirements led to the loss of the animal.
If you have any questions, please contact SFVS
Veterinary specialists encourage those who want to travel with pets to prepare for trips in Lithuania. Detailed information on the requirements for traveling with pets can be found on the SFVS website. And in case of doubts or additional doubts, it is always possible to consult the responsible specialists by email. by email [email protected], by free phone 8 800 40 403 or by filling in this online form.
