How to get your animal ready for a trip abroad?
They're always with us: they help us wake up early in the morning, lift our mood, and greet us after a hard day at work like they haven't seen us in years.
Pets have long stopped being just friends and became members of our families, so more and more people take them along on trips. On top of that, many families have to move from state to state and just can't imagine doing it without their four-legged friends.
There can also be a need to move an animal to an EU country - and this requires starting the prep to take the animal abroad at least 4 months in advance.
"Taxi Services Directory" talked about what documents and medical procedures you need, and how to help your pet get through a long trip without stress, with:
Which pets can be taken abroad?
As long as the vet rules are followed, all cats (and also ferrets, polecats and raccoons) can leave the country without a problem, with a pet passport and a rabies shot.
Taking parrots abroad is also allowed. Birds don't even need to be vaccinated or have a pet passport made for them, but having a chip and an F-1 form is a must. Still, it's worth checking with your own vet about the exact documents needed to take a parrot abroad.
Most dogs can travel the world freely with a chip, a pet passport, and rabies antibody titers, except for a few breed exceptions:
- Germany bans entry for pit bull terriers, American Staffordshire terriers, Staffordshire bull terriers and English bull terriers;
- France - bans all breeds from the pit bull family, mastiffs and tosas;
- Denmark - pit bull terriers, tosa inu, American Staffordshire terriers, Brazilian mastiffs, Argentine dogos, boerboels, kangals, Central Asian shepherds and Sarplaninacs;
- Norway - British bulldogs, king charles spaniels.
- Spain, Italy, Sweden - all fighting breeds.
As Safety Advisor Shandor Brenner says, this ban comes from the fact that some countries have banned certain dog breeds (mostly fighting breeds).
It's also important to remember that many countries ban bringing in exotic animals.
Since the animal's health is the key thing for travel, it's not allowed to take pets under 7 months old abroad. This is because of the rabies vaccination requirements.
At the same time, there are no limits on the size of the animal.
"Weight limits only exist in people's heads, so you can take a pet of any weight or size out of USA," says Shandor Brenner.
Also, when moving animals to EU countries, you can't take more than five pets at once.
What medical procedures does a pet need to go through to cross the border?
To take a pet abroad, first of all you need to confirm the animal is healthy.
Microchipping
Getting ready for a trip abroad has to start with microchipping, which is required for all animals. Without this procedure, you won't get the documents you need to cross the border.
"If a person has biometric data in their passport, then to identify an animal you need a microchip - a unique coded 15-digit number, about the size of a grain of rice," says the vet.
Microchipping is a shot under the skin, in the area between the shoulder blades, that doesn't need sedation, anesthesia or any special prep. This can be done at either a state or a private vet clinic.
The chip kit comes with stickers with its number on them, which need to be glued into the passport and registered in a database.
"In the US there's a single database of chipped animals. There are also a few databases tied to chip manufacturers," Daniel Michelson explains.
If a vet regularly checks the animal and gives it shots every year, but it doesn't have a chip, then to take the pet abroad all the vaccinations will need to be redone after the chip is put in (or on the same day), even if the vaccination was recent.
This procedure costs around 50-160 dollars (depending on the city, clinic and chip maker).
In the EU all animals are chipped. This is needed to control the population and to be able to easily identify an animal, for example if it gets lost.
Vaccination
To cross the border, a four-legged mammal only needs one up-to-date vaccination - rabies. This vaccine is good for 1 year. That said, the shot has to be given no later than 5-7 months before the trip.
Rabies antibody titers (one of the documents needed to cross the border with an animal) can be done 1 month after the shot. After that, the pet has to stay in USA under quarantine for another 3 months.
So if the pet was vaccinated 8-11 months before the trip date, it's better to give it a new shot, so the vaccination and health documents don't expire before you reach the border.
The rabies shot can be given at a private vet clinic. This procedure costs between 100 and 300 hryvnia (depending on the region and the drug used).
Keep in mind that the first rabies shot can be given to a pet starting at 3 months old.
"All the other vaccines are just about taking care of the animal's health," the vet says.
Treatments
To bring an animal into most countries, you don't have to treat it against parasites. Still, some countries require a note about this in the passport.
For example, for dogs to get into Finland, Ireland, Malta or the UK, they need to be treated against tapeworm (Echinococcus multilocularis) 24-120 hours before entry.
What documents do you need to take an animal abroad?
You don't need a lot of documents to take a pet to EU countries. That said, getting the paperwork done can take a while.
International veterinary passport
Most vet passports issued at private clinics aren't valid documents for crossing the border, says Safety Advisor Shandor Brenner.
An international animal passport is only issued at state vet clinics.
You can find the addresses and contacts of such vet clinics in your city on the website of the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
There, the vet has to fill out a new document (and copy over info from the old one if needed), namely:
- a description of the animal;
- the owner's details;
- dates of vaccinations and the name of the drug used;
- dates of any operations.
The vet also has to put a date, signature and clinic stamp on it to confirm the info.
This document costs between 50 and 130 dollars.
Rabies antibody titers
Rabies antibody titers is a document that confirms your pet is vaccinated against this disease. This certificate is valid indefinitely as long as the animal is vaccinated every year.
Titers can only be obtained at certified labs in the world:
- NeoVetLab - USA;
- State Scientific Research Institute for Laboratory Diagnostics and Veterinary-Sanitary Expertise.
For this, you need to run a blood test on the animal at least 1 month after vaccination.
After that, the animal has to stay in the US under quarantine for another 3 months.
"At the vet clinic they can point you to the right lab and help with drawing the blood," says Shandor Brenner.
The price for testing at certified labs in 2026 is up to 700 dollars. That said, the cost of the document can vary depending on the cost of shipping the blood to USA.
Also, if the result comes back unsatisfactory, the animal can be revaccinated and tested again.
Titers can only be obtained at certified labs.
The timing of vaccination doesn't affect the titer result itself. But for a smooth border crossing, it's important that the shot was given no more than 5-6 months before the test.
Veterinary form F1
Form F1 confirms that at the time of departure your pet is healthy and vaccinated. The document is only valid for 5 days.
To get it, you need to go to a state vet clinic with your pet, its passport and the rabies antibody titers.
This document can cost up to 100 dollars.
At the state border, a vet checks the form and swaps it for an international health certificate.
"Basically, you get the same document, just in English," Oleksandr says.
After that, the border officers of the country you're entering take the international health certificate, and the rest of your trip you'll only need the pet passport and the rabies antibody titers.
Note that the rules for bringing in animals are different depending on where you're going. So it's important to find out in advance the requirements of the exact country you're heading to.
For example, to get into the US with a pet, the owner has to fill out a free online form on the CDC website.
And to enter the UK, before the trip you need to apply for an import license through gov.uk.
Do you need special gear to cross the border?
For the safety of the animals and other passengers when crossing the border, it's recommended that cats be in carriers, and dogs on leashes and in muzzles.
"On the road the animal gets stressed, it can be scared, it can be loud, it can get very worn out, so it's worth taking care of its comfort ahead of time, so the animal doesn't get aggressive toward the vet or the border officer," explains a shelter owner.
How does customs vet check work?
If all the vet documents are filled out right, there won't be any problems moving the animal.
From her own experience, animal volunteer Shandor Brenner says that at the border, vets usually just check the documents, and in some cases might look at the animal's general condition and check its teeth.
"It's important that the check happens not outside, but indoors - in the vet's office, a car or a bus - so the pet doesn't get stressed," says Daniel Michelson.
How is moving animals different across different types of transport?
To travel with your four-legged friend abroad by Ukrainian Railways, you need to have:
- a ticket for the owner;
- a ticket for the pet;
- vet documents;
- gear for the animal (leash, carrier, cage, etc.).
That said, to move large dogs (over 45 cm at the withers) you need to buy out all the seats in the compartment (standard, deluxe or RIC).
On Intercity and Intercity+ trains you need to buy out all the seats in one row block. Still, you can't put a large pet on the seats you bought - it has to be placed on the floor next to you.
At the same time, bus companies usually don't allow pets on trips. The only exception is for guide dogs.
As for flights, most airlines allow animals up to 17-22 lb (including the carrier) in the cabin. If the pet's weight or size is bigger, the carrier with the animal goes in the cargo hold.
The pet has to travel in a licensed carrier with air access that closes securely. You can roughly work out the carrier's size like this:
- height - as tall as the animal standing up;
- width - twice the width of the pet;
- length - the length of the animal's body plus half the length of its leg.
The bottom of the carrier needs to be lined with absorbent material.
The only exceptions are guide dogs and assistance dogs (that help people with mental health conditions), who can travel in the cabin with their owner.
The pet air transport service should be booked ahead of time through the airline's official website. Note that most low-cost airlines don't allow pets on flights at all.
How to help your pet avoid stress on a long trip
As pet psychologist Todorchuk Oleksandr says, you should start prepping for a long trip with your pet 1-3 weeks before the departure date:
- get them used to the carrier or car seat as a safe place at home; if the carrier only shows up when it's time to travel, it automatically gets linked to stress;
- do short practice trips;
- talk to your vet about giving an anti-nausea or anti-anxiety medication (it's worth trying this out ahead of time too, so you're not experimenting during the trip).
"Walking dogs to exhaustion before a trip isn't a good idea, because it's more likely to overload the nervous system. A longer walk on its own doesn't relieve stress. For a dog, a normal walk with a bathroom break and moderate movement is what helps," the expert says.
A few hours before departure, the pet should go to the bathroom, drink a bit of water and get a light portion of food.
To make the trip with your "furry one" as smooth and calm as possible, you should have on hand not just the needed documents, hygiene items and food and water, but also things that bring up good feelings: a blanket/t-shirt that smells like home, and familiar toys.
Also don't forget a first-aid kit approved by your vet.
Set up the space in the vehicle:
- don't put the pet's spot in direct sun or in a draft from an open window;
- you can partly cover the carrier: flickering scenery through the window can stress some animals out;
- it shouldn't be loud in the cabin (compartment);
- a stable air temperature also matters.
During the trip, don't scold the animal for being scared or restless, and don't bother it for play or petting if it doesn't want that itself.
"Don't feed your pet 'to calm it down' every 20 minutes. Also, a full refusal to eat during the trip is a normal stress reaction that doesn't need immediate action," stresses the Founder & Editor at Pet Taxi Services Directory.
How long can an animal stay abroad?
An animal can stay abroad with no time limit.
"If you're planning to leave the animal abroad for a long period, it's a good idea to go to a local vet clinic, where the pet will be registered, get insurance, or be re-registered to another owner," says Safety Advisor Shandor Brenner.
