Non-commercial movement

Movements of pet animals

Movement of a pet means that the animal is travelling with the owner and is not being transferred on within the EU

Such situations are for example when

• moving from a country outside the EU into the EU with a pet
• tourism
• personally acquiring a new pet from outside the EU
• If you are not travelling with the animal, go to the page IMPORT

Movement of your own pet is permitted from all countries outside the EU.

BREXIT From 1.1.2021, the UK Pet Passport, with the exception of the Northern Ireland Pet Passport, is no longer valid in the EU and cannot be used when traveling with a pet dog, cat or ferret from the UK to EU Member States.

When traveling with pets from UK to EU, a health certificate (non-commercial movement) is required if the pet is from the UK. Pet dogs, cats and ferrets traveling from the UK will be required to have a microchip and rabies vaccination, but not an antibody test. Dogs should be treated against Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm.

Pets traveling from the EU to the UK and back can travel with an EU passport issued in any EU member state. A veterinarian in the UK can enter Echinococcus multilocularis- marking in your dog's passport 1-5 days before returning to Finland, Ireland or Malta, as well as Norway.

The UK requires rabies vaccination from pet dogs, cats and ferrets from EU Member States, but not an antibody test. Dogs from other member states than Finland, Ireland, Malta (and Norway) moving to UK must be treated for Echinococcus multilocularis tapeworm.

The requirements after the rabies vaccination vary, so check whether a rabies antibodies test should be carried out before leaving the country of origin!

• The animal must be marked before receiving the anti-rabies vaccination (a transponder or a clearly legible tattoo done before 3.7.2011)
• Technical requirements for transponders
• The transponders have to
  1. comply with the ISO standard 11784 and apply the HDX- or FDX-B technology; and
  2. be legible using an identifier that conforms with ISO standard 11785 

The anti-rabies vaccination has been given at 12 weeks of age at the earliest

• After the anti-rabies vaccination the following has to be adhered to 
  •  EITHER
    • a qualifying period of 21 days if the country of origin is listed (list below)
    • the period of validity of the vaccination starts not less than 21 days from the completion of the vaccination protocol for the primary vaccination, and any subsequent vaccination was carried out within the period of validity of the preceding vaccination
  • OR
    • a rabies antibodies test 30 days after the vaccination. The result of the test must be 0.5 IU/ml or more. After the sample has been taken, there will be a wait of 3 months in the country of departure. The rabies antibody test is valid as long as the vaccination is valid. The sample must be analysed in a laboratory approved by the EU. The approved rabies serology laboratories are found here

Listed third countries

• Treatment against echinococcosis must be administered at least 1 and no more than 5 days before the movement of the dog
• The animal has to be accompanied with a health certificate in accordance with the EU model issued by an official veterinarian
• The health certificate is valid for 10 days from the date of issue
• The owner’s declaration regarding the non-commercial nature of the movement
• The original vaccination documents or certified copies
• Upon entry into the EU, the owner or authorized person must contact the competent authority and present the pet's travel documents for inspection. In Finland these inspections are carried out by Customs. Choose the red line in customs and present the animal and its documentation to the customs officer.
• The permitted points of entry in the other EU countries are found at this link

In Finland:

EU pet passport

If you travel with your pet from Finland to a country outside the EU and back, an EU pet passport has to be obtained for the animal before the trip. The EU pet passport will replace a health certificate on your return. Make sure that all measures to be taken concerning rabies for the return (vaccination, potentially rabies antibody titration test) have been carried out before going on the trip! Remember to have dogs medicated against echinococcosis before the return. This can be done and entered in the passport by any veterinarian. NOTE! This does not apply to what is known as 28 day rule!

Also check the page topical

Movement of animals from non-EU countries (in English on European Commission web pages)

Model certificate

Model animal health certificate for movements EN

Owner’s Declaration

Legislation

Regulation (EU) No 576/2013 of the European Parliament and of the Council 

Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) No 577/2013