helpful information for people fleeing Ukraine with their pets

Traveling out of Ukraine with your pets

UPDATE: Authorities across Europe are restricting the number of owned animals allowed to enter. The most recent, verifiable information we have received is that five (5) animals per owner are permitted to cross borders. 

Please do not try to smuggle or hide animals as this poses a serious risk of injury to the animal. 

AUSTRIA - Animals are allowed to enter without documents, identification and vaccination. Any necessary veterinary measures, such as rabies vaccination and subsequent isolation, will be determined and ordered after entry.  

Contact to the State Ministry of Health: petsukraine@gesundheitsministerium.gv.at  

Support for animals in Austria is provided by Tierschutz Austria.  

BELGIUM - In view of the emergency situation, the FASFC will temporarily allow dogs, cats and ferrets from Ukraine (non-commercial traffic) to enter the territory without documentation. These animals must be placed in home isolation and reported to the FASFC: import@favv-afsca.be. The Belgium competent authority FASFC will cover a fixed part of the veterinary costs, and anti-rabies antibodies titration is free of charge when necessary. More regional information: SAVAB (in NL) and UPV (in FR). 
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The six dispensaries of the Foundation Prince Laurent offer free support to pets of Ukrainian refugees, including veterinary care and supplies and feed. (Information in French and Dutch). 

BULGARIA - Animals are currently allowed to enter without documents, identification and vaccination. Any necessary veterinary measures, such as rabies vaccination and subsequent isolation, will be determined and ordered after entry. 

You can contact the State Veterinary Office: ukraine@bfsa.bg 
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CROATIA - The Veterinary and Food Safety Directorate temporarily allows entry of pets that do not meet the normal requirements without prior approval, to all displaced person from Ukraine who travel to Croatia with their pets. Official veterinarians will determine in each case the necessary measures upon arrival at the destination in the Republic of Croatia and instruct the owners. Owners should notify their arrival with a pet by filling in this application form and send it to veterinarstvo@mps.hr. They will receive information on next steps and are asked to keep their pet indoors and on a leash when taken out and prevent contact with other animals.  
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CZECH REPUBLIC - Animals entering without a valid rabies vaccine/rabies titer test, will be placed under 10-day quarantine (meaning constant supervision by the owner). Within three days of entry, pet needs to be checked by a veterinarian (and microchipped if needed). Between 5–10 days of entry, rabies vaccine needs to be given if not up to date. 
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Several veterinarian clinics and VSF-CZ (Veterinarians without borders) offer free basic veterinary care for pets of Ukrainian refugees. 

DENMARK - People traveling with their pets from Ukraine can enter Denmark even if the animal does not meet all the requirements. However, as rabies is present in Ukraine it is important that there is special attention to dogs, cats and ferrets, which can be carriers of the rabies virus. There is a description of the requirements that pets must live up to in order to comply with the requirements for importation under the special exemption options. 
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ESTONIA - Allowing in animals without documentation, rabies vaccine and/or microchip. Email the arrival notification form (link below) to pta@pta.agri.ee and darja.trohhatsova@pta.agri.ee and elika.brosman@emta.ee 
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FINLAND - Under these exceptional circumstances, pets traveling with owners from Ukraine or under force majeure circumstances from Russia are authorized to enter Finland without prior application or permit. Owners, or their representative, are asked to present the pet and any paperwork to Finnish Customs at the border upon entry. Finnish Customs will provide further instructions. 
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FRANCE - People that have recently entered French territory with an animal that does not meet the regulatory requirements should contact, as soon as possible, a veterinarian or the Departmental Direction for the Protection of Populations of the department of destination, in charge of monitoring the health of these animals. 
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GERMANY - Pet owners can enter with their pets from Ukraine without having to apply for a permit in advance. Those entering the country are requested to contact the local veterinary authority to determine the health status of the animal with regard to rabies and to initiate measures if necessary (isolation, antibody titer determination, rabies vaccination, microchipping, issuance of pet passport). 
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Several organisations, cities and regions provide information and support for pets of Ukranian refugees. There are veterinarians offering free care and websites for Berlin, Hannover, Hamburg, Bavaria and finding a place to stay with your pet.   

GREECE – The Greek authorities will ensure that every possible facilitation is provided for the safe entry of your pets into the country. It would be useful to show the animal health booklet. 
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A list has been formed of about 100 veterinary clinics and veterinary office throughout Greece, which voluntarily provide care services for pets arriving from war-torn Ukraine with their guardians. Refugees can contact these veterinary clinics and offices to have their pets examined. 

HUNGARY - Hungary has opened borders for unvaccinated and undocumented pets. Hungarian authorities will also provide rabies vaccination and microchipping to dogs, cats and ferrets entering with refugees. 
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IRELAND - Non-commercial pets with their owners from Ukraine and for EU citizens currently in Russia wishing to return to the EU with their pets in emergency circumstances can enter even if the pet is non-compliant for entry into the EU or missing documentation. Please bring as much documentation about your pets as you can, e.g. vaccination or vet records. Staff will then issue you with instructions on arrival. A list of email addresses is available in the link where to announce the arrival with your pet. 
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INDIA - Indian authorities have issued a one-time relaxation measure for Indian nationals fleeing Ukraine with their pets. The Indian government will allow companion dogs and cats to enter the country with their guardians. If evacuees have a vaccination certificate, the pet will be examined along with the certificate and cleared. If the pet does not have a vaccination certificate, the animal will be kept in quarantine for 15 or 30 days, at the end of which the animal will be vaccinated. After the animal arrives home, the guardian will need to take their pet to a vet and submit a certificate to the Animal Quarantine and Certification Services (AQCS). 
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ITALY - The Ministry of Health has established exceptional measures to enter pets into EU with Ukrainian refugees. For movements of pets moving from Ukraine to Italy, Ukrainian citizen can give all information to the mail address UA-pets@sanita.it. Citizens should specify species and number of animals, ID documents of the animals (if possible), the name of the owner and the address of destination in Italy to provide information to the Competent Veterinary Services. 
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LATVIA - Accepting pets of Ukranian citizens who are not microchipped, not vaccinated against rabies, etc. It will be possible for the owner of the animal to carry out all formalities and procedures after entering Latvia. 
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LITHUANIA – Ukrainians can bring their pets according to the exemptions in place in the EU. Upon arrival, the pet (dog, cat or ferret) must be chipped and vaccinated against rabies and you must notify the SFVS by e-mail at ukrainepets@vmvt.lt or by phone +370 800 40403. You can also contact the SFVS territorial departments which work closely with municipalities, heads of refugee centers and which directly contact the incoming refugees.  
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MALTA - Pets moved from Ukraine do not need to be serologically tested for anti-rabies antibody titers and may enter without prior individual application for a permit. Transportation companies (by air or ferry) and Customs officers shall inform the Veterinary Regulation Directorate (VRD) on the arrival and number of pets originating from Ukraine. The VRD will ensure that these animals are quarantined for the necessary period and will carry out the necessary procedures free of charge. 
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MOLDOVA - Refugees from Ukraine have the right to enter the Republic of Moldova with pets without presenting veterinary certificates or their passports. Source 

NETHERLANDS – Get in touch with the NVWA beforehand, if possible. See a vet as soon as possible after you arrive in the Netherlands. Ensure that your pet is kept in home quarantine until a satisfactory blood test result is received. The vet will give you more details on this. 
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IFAW and other animal welfare and rescue organizations have joined forces to offer free support to Ukrainian refugees and their pets including veterinarian care, pet supplies and shelter.  

Further information can be found in Ukrainian, Russian, Dutch and English: https://www.hulpvoordierenuitoekraine.nl 

NORWAY -The Norwegian Food Safety Authority must check all pets coming to Norway, to minimize the risk of spreading diseases. If possible, notify arrival with pets in advance to the Norwegian Food Safety Authority, so that the control can be carried out at the border. (BIP.gardermoen@mattilsynet.no). If the pets are not controlled at the border, you must immediately contact the Norwegian Food Safety Authority on telephone +47 22 40 00 00 when you arrive at your first stop in Norway.  
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POLAND - Polish officials are now facilitating Ukrainian border crossing for families fleeing with their animals. The whole animal health dossier is now not mandatory. Animals will be vaccinated after crossing the Polish side of the border. 
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PORTUGAL- The Directorate General for Food and Veterinary has established a procedure providing all persons/refugees from Ukraine who are accompanied by their pets with a direct contact with the DGAV services, through a specific email address (acsccdim@dgav.pt), or through contact with Official Veterinarians, through the email addresses tcastro@dgav.pt and pdomingos@dgav.pt. 

If you enter Portugal by land and do not pass through Border Control Posts or Travellers Points of Entry, and if it is not possible for you to send an email to the addresses provided, you should contact directly the Municipal Veterinarian of the place where you will be staying through the contacts provided in this link (contacts).  
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ROMANIA - Ukrainian pets can also come to Romania without microchip, vaccine or passport. All pets are allowed. After entering Romania, the owner or person in charge must fill in a form which can be downloaded from the ANSVSA web portal. 
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SLOVENIA - Due to the emergency situation in Ukraine, the entry of pets is provisionally authorized on the basis of a completed application and under the conditions set out in the application to ensure that the entry of these animals into the EU does not pose a risk of rabies introduction/transmission. 

A contact point has been established at HQ of AFSVSPP to accept applications: pets-crisisUA.uvhvvr@gov.si . The procedure for application can be found here: Source 

SLOVAKIA - Officially accepting animals, even those that are not vaccinated/do not have a vaccination certificate.  Document to fill in via this link: Source 

SWEDEN - When pet owners arrive at the border with their pets, they must report the pets to the customs staff or to a veterinarian, if one is present. If the pets do not meet the requirements for entering Sweden, the customs staff will contact the Swedish Board of Agriculture. If a pet from Ukraine is in Sweden without having been checked by customs staff or a veterinarian at the border, the pet must be taken to a veterinarian as soon as possible. 
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SWITZERLAND - Dogs and cats brought by their owners may enter Switzerland in exceptional cases even if not all import conditions are met. Owners intending to enter Switzerland are asked to fill a form prior to crossing the border and send it to petsukraine@blv.admin.ch. Due to the high risk of disease, entry is prohibited for poultry and hoofed animals. Owners of these animals are asked to make immediate contact with the veterinary authorities at their current location. 
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UNITED KINGDOM - Ukrainian refugees can bring their pets to the UK with any quarantine costs paid for by the Government. Prior to arrival, people leaving the Ukraine or their carrier should contact the Animal and Plant Health Agency at pettravel@apha.gov.uk or call +44 3000 200 301 option 2. They will then be able to confirm their approval for their emergency licence and organise any necessary stay in quarantine which is required to complete the rabies risk management process. 
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For an overview of humanitarian support: https://www.npr.org/2022/02/25/1082992947/ukraine-support-help